Chinese company donate 60 laptops to Vanuatu MPs, MP Chani claims is bribery

Pentecost Member of Parliament (MP) Francois Chani, has described the recent donation of 60 laptops by a Vanuatu-registered Chinese company to the Members of Parliament as a form of bribery.

MP Chani said he has decided to return the laptop donated to him back to the Government, to return to the private company.

He claims he has also advised the political group he is allied with, to do the same and that is to return the laptops.

“In my honest opinion, it was not a genuine deal, because normally such a large quantity of highly priced electronic goods, would normally come from a foreign government to the MPs through the government. But this was a deal by a private company and i consider this to be a form of bribery,” said MP Chani.

Asked how many laptops were donated to the MPs, MP Chani alleged that 60 Laptops were donated to the 52 MPs and all were accepted.

On the question of why he accepted one of the laptops in the first place, MP explained that he thought it was a donation from a government.

“Once I realised that it was a private company donating the laptops to the government, i decided to come out publicly to state that in my opinion this is wrong, and i am returning the one i was given, he said.

“I have also advised the MPs of the political group I am affiliated with, to return all the laptops they have.”

“This is how some, if not many Asian foreign business dealers find their way into Vanuatu so easily to start businesses here, at times by passing the legal system through bribing government officials,” MP Chani alleged.

He did not name the private company nor its business activities in the country but said such foreign business dealings must be stopped.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST/PACNEWS