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Rhinoceros Beetle (Prevention) Act

Commencement: 9 October 1961

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
REVISED EDITION 1988

CHAPTER 28

RHINOCEROS BEETLE (PREVENTION)

JR 10 of 1961

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION
1. Application

2. Vessels and aircraft to comply with conditions
3. Appointment of phytosanitary inspectors

4. Notification of arrival
5. Phytosanitary inspector to inform other officers of measures to be taken
6. Offences and penalties

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RHINOCEROS BEETLE (PREVENTION)

To prevent the introduction into Vanuatu of the Rhinoceros Beetle Oryetes Rhinoceros.

APPLICATION

1. All vessels and aircraft arriving in Vanuatu from the following countries shall be subject to the provisions of this Act - Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, United States Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Guam, Western Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and the Wallis Islands.
   

VESSELS AND AIRCRAFT TO COMPLY WITH CONDITIONS

2. Vessels and aircraft arriving from any of the countries specified in section 1 shall comply with the following conditions -
   

(a) Vessels-

(i) vessels shall anchor as far as possible off-shore before inspection by a phytosanitary inspector;

(ii) vessels shall be inspected by an inspector before berthing at any wharf and unloading;

(iii) the holds of vessels shall be fumigated on arrival and before unloading;

(iv) unloading shall take place only by day;

(v) holds shall be kept shut after nightfall;

(vi) all passengers' baggage shall be inspected on disembarkation;

(vii) the importation of living plants or fragments of living plants to which earth or vegetable matter is attached or generally of any vegetable matter likely to carry the eggs or larvae of Oryctes Rhinoceros is absolutely prohibited unless such living plants, fragments of living plants or vegetable matter shall have been fumigated before loading on the vessel in the country of origin.

(b) Aircraft-

(i) aircraft shall be inspected by a phytosanitary inspector before disembarkation of passengers or unloading;

(ii) passengers' baggage shall be inspected on disembarkation;

(iii) the importation of living plants or fragments of living plants to which earth or vegetable matter is attached or generally or any vegetable matter likely to carry the eggs or larvae of Oryctes Rhinoceros is absolutely prohibited unless such living plants, fragments of living plants or vegetable matter shall have been fumigated before loading on the aircraft in the country of origin.

APPOINTMENT OF PHYTOSANITARY INSPECTORS

3. Phytosanitary inspectors shall be appointed for the purpose of this Act and shall be public servants.
   

NOTIFICATION OF ARRIVAL

4. The harbourmaster or the Director of Civil Aviation, or in their absence the District Commissioner, shall inform a phytosanitary inspector of the date, time, and mode of arrival, anchoring, or berthing of any vessel or of the date and time of arrival of any aircraft arriving from any country specified in section 1.
   

PHYTOSANITARY INSPECTOR TO INFORM OTHER OFFICERS OF MEASURES TO BE TAKEN

5. The phytosanitary inspector shall inform the appropriate officer specified in section 4 and the Director of Customs of the measures they are required to take and of the instructions which it may be necessary to give to captains or passengers of vessels or aircraft arriving from any of the countries specified in section 1 for the application of the provisions of section 2.
   

OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

6. Any person who is reported by an inspector, harbourmaster, Director of Civil Aviation, Director of Customs or District Commissioner to have contravened any of the provisions of this Act shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding VT75,000 and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to either of these penalties.
   

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