DailyPost – Former MP, Willie Jimmy Tapanga Rarua, the holder of the lease title for the land on which the miracle water in Luganville, Santo, is located and his wife Alvin Tapanga Rarua have applied to the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) in Port Vila to register the services under the name Holy (Healing) Water.
The application forms lodged with the VFSC were signed on April 25, 2017 and signed by the two applicants.
An accompanying Lands Records Office document shows that an Urban Commercial Lease dated April 17, 2007 between the Lessor, the Minister of Lands and the Lessees Willie Jimmy Tanaga Rarua and Alvin Tapanga Rarua is for 75 years.
In a letter to the Commissioner of the VFSC dated April 15, 2017, Mr. and Mrs. Tanpanga Rarua said that: “As proprietors of the Property Lease Title 03/1113/053 situated in Luganville, Espiritu Santo, we wish to register the name Holy or Healing Water that is currently being used by the trespassers into our property without our consent.”
“We are also concerned of the fact that while we allow the use of the water to be free, commercial entities such as Vanuatu Ferry, Vanuatu Cargo, Big Sister and other coastal shipping agencies and even Air Vanuatu are all providing special trips to the travelling public at discounted rates to travel to travel to Santo to bathe in the Healing Water in my property,” they wrote.
They alleged these entities are abetting and are in complicity with the traveling public to trespass into their property.
“We therefore request the Commissioner to assist us to register the words or Name ‘Healing (Holy) Water Limited’ in our favor as proprietors of the property.”
The name is to only apply to the water in Luganville and not any other place, they said.
Caretakers of the water source say that upwards to 1,000 people visit the Miracle Water site everyday and between 3,000 and 4,000 on public holidays and weekends.
These people are coming from all over the country including now from nearby New Caledonia.
Jonas Cullwick, a former General Manager of VBTC is now a Senior Journalist with the Daily Post. Contact: jonas@dailypost.vu. Cell # 678 5460922
