Commencement: 24 August 1998

REPUBLIC OF VANUATU

DECENTRALIZATION (AMENDMENT) ACT
NO. 17 OF 1998

Assent: 27/07/98
Commencement: 24/08/98

An Act to amend the Decentralization Act No. 1 of 1994 ("the principal Act").

BE IT ENACTED by the President and Parliament as follows: -

AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1

1.	Section 1 of the principal Act is amended by inserting in alphabetical order, the following definitions:

"Administration subsidy" means a subsidy provided by the Executive to a local government council for administration purposes such as salaries, accounting and office systems and office equipment;

"Equipment grant" means a grant by the Executive to a local government council for development purposes such as agricultural, construction and maritime projects;

"Executive" means the Executive under Article 39(1) of the Constitution:".

AMENDMENT TO SECTION 26

2.	Section 26 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted:

"26.	(1)	The amount of the administration subsidy shall be determined by the Executive, after consultation with the Minister, each year during the budget session.

(2)	The Minister may, by written instrument, stipulate the amount of the subsidy to be allocated to each local government region and when an to where the funds are to be distributed in accordance with substantiated accounts provided by the local government council."

AMENDMENT TO SECTION 27

3.	Section 27 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted:

"27.	(1)	The amount of the equipment grant shall be determined by the Executive, after consultation with the Minister, each year during the budget session.

(2)	The Minister may, by written instrument, stipulate the amount of the grant to be allocated to each local government region and when and to where the funds are to be distributed, provided however such sums may only be distributed to projects previously approved by the Minister and in accordance with substantiated accounts provided by the local government council."

COMMENCEMENT

4.	This Act shall commence on the date of its publication in the Gazette.

---------------------------------------------