Matty Mark, 31, at Korman Market in Port Vila. 20 August 2023 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Kelvin Anthony
A market vendor in Port Vila says government assistance has not been forthcoming, almost six months after two category four cyclones decimated Vanuatu's economy.
Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin affected almost 250,000 people - 80 percent of the population - wiping out around 40 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, with preliminary assessments estimating the recovery costs to be about $US50 million.
Matty Mark manages the Kormam Market selling fresh produce such as taro, cabbage, kumala and banana, which are currently in short supply in Port Vila.
The availability of local agricultural produce remains a challenge post-cyclones and women market venders - referred to as 'mamas' in Port Vila - are having to import fresh produce such as bananas and taro from other provinces at higher costs which is depleting profit margins.
Mark said vendors have to import from Tanna and Santo Islands to the capital and she is among 800 women whose livelihoods depend on working at the market, and who put in 12-to-13-hour shifts daily, seven days a week.
Mark told RNZ Pacific that she and other vendors were struggling to make ends meet due to the impact of the two cyclones.
Matty Mark, right, at her staff at the Korman Market in Port Vila. 20 August 2023 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Kelvin Anthony
"To me, I don't see any help from the government," she said.
"We are just struggling as farmers. We are just struggling to bring our food produce to the market to sell.
"Maybe one day the government will help."
This week, Vanuatu is a hive of activities as the nation's politicians remain at loggerheads, the 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders' Summit, and the national school games take place.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau marched with almost 3000 ni-Vanuatu students from the University of the South Pacific's Efate Campus to Korman Park for the opening of the student games.
Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, middle with sunglass on, lead the Vanuatu National School Games march from USP Efate Campus to Kormam Park on Sunday 20 August 2023. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Kelvin Anthony
Kalsakau, battling survival of his own government, passed the Korman Market where Mark and several other mamas spend most of their days trying to earn a living, silently getting on with their hardships.
Foreign Affairs Minister Matai Seremaiah on Monday acknowledged that Vanuatu was still recovering from the two tropical cyclones that has destroyed its agriculture sectors that "is affecting the livelihoods of our people and the economic growth of our economy".
However, Vanuatu's leaders could do more to recognise the contribution made by women market vendors in the country, a veteran ni-Vanuatu journalist said.
RNZ Pacific correspondent in Port Vila, Hilaire Bule, said the mamas do not receive any support in terms of "grants or subsidies" from the government.
"The government is not noticing that they contribute a lot to the informal economy but they are a very important part of the economy," Bule said.
