Vanuatu: Broken Dreams - Ethical and Governing Issues

Running head: VANUATU
Vanuatu: broken dreams
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1VANUATU
Ethical and governing issues
The key ethical and governing issues, which can be identified from Vanuatu’s Broken
Dream video mainly revolved around tourists’ negligence towards the locals of Vanuatu. It was
expected that the cruise ships, which were visiting the island should have been beneficial for the
local residents but it is not actually the reality. On ethical grounds, it can be hoped that the
emergence of tourists in the island might allow free flow of dollars but the truth was not as shiny
as it seemed.
Pacific islands are mostly dependent on tourism and they look forward to the entry of
tourists as they might be bestowed with ample resources (Dinnen and Walton 2016). This
particular video is based on the confused people of Wala in Vanuatu who have no clue where the
large amount of dollars is moving. Thousands of dollars are taken as a landing fee but the
islanders did not get a glimpse of those. Dateline took the responsibility of enquiring the
islanders about the little benefits and the facilities meant for the tourists are remaining restricted
to them.
Peter George was responsible for collecting information on behalf of Dateline and
focused on the role played by the politicians of the countries in neglecting the islanders. The
irony was that the politicians experienced a life of total luxury but the locals of the island led
their life in poverty. Corruption was considered as a major ethical and governing issue in this
regard. However, it was required to counter corruption and the fight has begun. The struggle to
combat corruption was getting popular but there is a question lurking around the corner of this
issue (Forsyth and Batley 2016). Will the locals be able to win the battle of turning the economy
in their favor?

2VANUATU
PO cruises’ ethical act
Peter George took a recent voyage in a cruise to find out about the issues that are faced
by the local islanders. On his trip, he found out that the emergence of foreign cruise is a routine
activity in the Pacific islands but that does not change the routine life of the local residents.
According to the video, the Prime Minister has also mentioned that corruption in the tourism
industry is beyond control. This video has considered the situation of Vanuatu where there are
numerous visitors coming to the island. When PO started sailing to the island, it seemed that a
gold mine has opened for the islanders (Forsyth 2015).
It was the right of the Wala inhabitants to get the major share of the landing and
anchoring charge, which would amount to thousands of dollars. They were supposed to make
money from selling souvenirs and trinkets and the most popular intoxicating brew in the entire
pacific region. PO was an exceptional case as it had contributed more than $800,000 for the
benefits of the local people (Rose-Ackerman and Palifka 2016). This amount was meant for
enhancing the facilities of the people of Wala and other two islands that are visited by PO.
PO was not an exception that acted ethically for the benefits of the islanders. Wala had
experienced the advantages in the form of cyclone- proof public toilet block with the provision
of running water and septic system mainly for the tourists. However, the facilities were not
meant for the local inhabitants and they were used by the visitors only. The money earned from
the tourists were not utilized properly from the initial days and the only development was in the
form of providing basic water facility. Their dreams of living a privileged life have shattered
with the incoming of foreign dollars (Nimbtik 2016).