Vanuatu's Minister of Lands says land has now been secured for the more than 300 residents who were evicted from an illegal settlement near the Port Vila airport on Monday.
Ralph Regenvanu says he made an appeal to the court last month to put the eviction order on hold in order to the give the government more time to find another site but it was declined.
The residents had settled on government-leased land in an area called Destination since 2006 and were unsuccessful in an attempt to gain a stay order from the court for permanent residence.
Mr Regenvanu says the police force has offered to help the people move to a new settlement in Etas.
We have now found them some land outside of Port Vila which they're happy about and we're going to sign the agreement for them to move on to that land this afternoon. We still have to look at the issue of services to the land, but there are water services.
Photo: RNZI Hilaire Bule
