Minister of Lands, Geology, and Mines Willie Jimmy Tapangararua of Vanuatu

Speaking in his offices that overlook the main street and bay in Port Vila, Tapangararua said Vanuatu could not be isolated from the effects of what other countries are doing.

Tapangararua said that the Millennium Challenge Project which entails building a ring road around Efate, due to get underway at the end of this year would spark off large-scale development.

Jimmy Tapangararua has accepted defeat in the recent national election.

According to Lini, Tapangararua is also recognised as the best finance minister that Vanuatu has produced since Independence.

She said if you analyze some of the major decisions taken by the last government, Tapangararua was the key player in ensuring that the Government was able to deal professionally to issues of the VMF, and other key sectors of the public sector and the business community.

People must remember that in any government arrangement, a Prime Minister can only move forward with government policies with a good finance minister that can complement the process and this is exactly what Tapangararua had shown for this country, Lini concluded.

TOURISM POTENTIAL: Minister of Finance Willie Jimmy Tapangararua is optimistic.

But Finance Minister Tapangararua has some big tasks ahead.