03/02/2026
𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 – 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
The recent article published by the Vanuatu Daily Post alleging that Pierre BRUNET polluted, or attempted to pollute, Port Vila’s water source is factually incorrect, misleading, and deeply damaging to our reputation.
First, it is essential to clarify that no asphalt plant was ever installed in Zone 3. What was temporarily placed on site was a bitumen drum melter, consisting of two mobile containers, designed to melt bitumen delivered in sealed 200-litre drums for road patching works. This equipment operates in a closed system, does not involve mixing aggregates, produces no wastewater, and does not discharge liquid pollutants into the ground. Bitumen is a highly viscous product, not a free-flowing liquid, and any minor drips caused by damaged transport drums are immediately contained, collected, and cleaned.
Before installing this temporary equipment, we formally consulted the Department of Environment, informing them that the installation would be short-term, limited to a few months only, strictly for the completion of our contractual road works between the Tagabe roundabout and Clem’s Hill. This temporary installation was known by the Environment Department, and operations were conducted responsibly, without incident. At no point in time we were advised to also inform Department of Water Resources.
The situation escalated only after UNELCO wrote to the Department of Water Resources, asserting that the activity was illegal under a regulation introduced in 2019. While UNELCO may be legally correct on the regulatory interpretation, this regulation was never actively communicated to affected businesses. There was no awareness campaign, no direct notification, and no engagement with operators working in the area. Even the Department of Environment itself was not fully aware of the detailed scope of this regulation, which clearly demonstrates a failure of internal government communication and public awareness.
Had we been informed of these restrictions earlier, the equipment would never have been installed in that location, despite the fact that it posed no pollution risk whatsoever. Once contacted by the Department of Water Resources two weeks ago, we cooperated fully, reviewed the regulation in detail, and immediately commenced relocation — a relocation that had already been planned, as the road works near Clem’s Hill are now complete. Importantly, water testing has confirmed that no contamination occurred.
What is regrettable is the unnecessary escalation and public dramatization of a purely theoretical risk, resulting in reputational harm to a company that has always prioritised environmental responsibility. Instead of direct dialogue, this matter was turned into a public spectacle. If UNELCO or the authorities had contacted us directly, the issue would have been resolved immediately, quietly, and responsibly — without damaging public trust or creating false alarm.
For decades, our group has demonstrated genuine environmental commitment: we implemented wastewater treatment systems on waterfront developments long before they were mandatory; we operate the country’s only large-scale organic, pesticide-free beef production; and all our developments are guided by sustainability principles. To portray us as careless polluters is not only false — it is the exact opposite of who we are.
Finally, it is troubling to see the Department of Water Resources publicly celebrating a “heroic intervention” against a pollution event that never existed, while real and documented pollution issues, such as the long-term wastewater contamination of Lagoon 1 by public infrastructure, remain unresolved. This selective enforcement sends the wrong message to the public, to investors, and to tourists.
This matter was mishandled. There was no pollution, no intent to pollute, and no environmental damage. There was, however, a serious failure of communication, proportion, and judgment — and unfortunately, the cost has been borne by our reputation.
Beyond this specific incident, this situation exposes a far deeper and more damaging issue in Vanuatu: the systemic failure of government services and the environment this failure creates for private investment.
When public institutions lack coordination, clarity, accountability, and professionalism, they do not protect the country — they weaken it. Unclear regulations, inconsistent enforcement, and sudden public actions without prior engagement create confusion and fear, not compliance. This is not effective governance; it is institutional dysfunction.
As a result, projects stall for years waiting for permits. Decisions change without explanation. Files move endlessly between departments that do not speak to one another. What should be routine becomes exhausting, unpredictable, and deeply discouraging. Serious, transparent, long-term investors — particularly those committed to sustainable development — eventually give up or leave.
In contrast, this same dysfunctional system becomes fertile ground for unscrupulous investors who specialise in opacity, influence, and corruption, while honest investors with genuine development objectives are pushed away. This dynamic is extremely dangerous for the country’s future, eroding trust, distorting development, and replacing responsible investment with opportunistic behaviour that brings short-term gain and long-term damage.
If this reality is not addressed urgently, Vanuatu will continue to lose honest private capital, skilled employment, and sustainable growth — not because investors lack interest, but because the system itself actively repels the very investors it needs most.
