Dinh Van Than

In this Vietnamese name, the family name is Dinh. According to Vietnamese custom, this person should properly be referred to by the given name Than.

Gilbert Dinh Van Than, more commonly known as Dinh Van Than, is a ni-Vanuatu "prominent businessman" and former politician.^[1]

Than is a naturalised citizen of Vanuatu.^[2] The Vanuatu Daily Post describes him as "a ni-Vanuatu of Vietnamese parentage".^[3]

The Dinh family have been described as long-standing supporters of the Vanua'aku Pati. In 1991, when the party was about to split, Than supported its founder and then-leader, the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Walter Lini. Than hosted meetings of Lini and his supporters, and enabled Lini to set up "headquarters" on the premises of one of the companies he owned. Later that year, when Lini was ousted from the leadership of the Vanua'aku Pati, and founded the National United Party, Than was a prominent member. The relationship between the two men was close; Than was literally adopted into Lini's family the same year. Vanua'aku Pati "campaign materials" responded to the split by accusing the NUP of serving Than's interests, and described Than as "the owner, financier, host, organiser, director" of the new party. Academic Howard Van Trease suggests it was Than who advised Lini to create the National United Party, and subsequently to enter into a coalition government with the Union of Moderate Parties.^{[4] [5]} Than was also a major provider of funds to the party.^[6]

Than obtained the leadership of the NUP in 1999^[7], and led it into the May 2002 general election.^[8] In 2003, he was "ousted" and replaced as party leader by Ham Lini, Walter Lini's brother, who later became Prime Minister. He responded by leaving the NUP and founding the Vanuatu National Party in 2004. The latter's stated aim was to "revive" the "principles" espoused by Walter Lini. Specifically, the party emphasised "the need to develop rural employment opportunities, provide confidence to business and invest in primary industries". It called for a partnership between churches and government in providing health and education services; called for a development of "effective national telecommunications" across the country; and suggested that key positions such as that of the Ombudsman or Chief Justice be conferred upon foreign nationals, while also pledging to review the granting of citizenship to foreigners and -despite Than himself being a businessman of Vietnamese origin- to "restrict Asian businesses from operating beyond the municipal boundary" of urban areas. Than stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as leader of the VNP in the July 2004 general election. His brother, Dominique Dinh, a customary chief on the island of Tanna, left the NUP at the same time as he did, and went on to found the Chiefs' Movement of Vanuatu four years later.^{[9] [10]}

On December 16, 2000, the headline story of the Vanuatu Weekly Hebdomadaire highlighted Than's "growing generosity", as he planned to "invest about 500 million vatu" in creating a residential area in Tagabe.^[11]

In the early 2000s, Than was a member of Vanuatu's Citizenship Commission, tasked with granting or denying citizenship applications from immigrants. Than accused the Commission's Secretary, Képoué Manwo, of falsely informing the Commission's president that certain applications, notably from Chinese businessmen, had been approved by the Commission, when they had in fact been rejected.^[12]

As of January 2011, Than "owns over ten companies". He once owned Doveair, a domestic airline company which was "closed following the disastrous Port Vila Land riots in 1988". The following year, riots also forced the closure of a meat factory he owned in Port Vila. "In the latest tragedy, Australian “conman” Richard Kontos ran [Than's] once beautiful Blue Water Island Resort into bankruptcy then slipped out of the country with 3.7 million vatu." Than "successfully replaced Blue Water Island Resort with Crystal Blue which is now in operation not far from the former resort".^[13]

In January 2011, it was reported Than planned to launch a domestic airline, Vanuatu Airways. It would provide cheaper fares on domestic flights than Air Vanuatu.^{[14] [15]}

References

1. ^ "The political parties and groupings of Vanuatu", Pacific Institute of Public Policy, August 2008
2. ^ "The Origins and Effects of Party Fragmentation in Vanuatu", Michael G. Morgan, in Roland Rich (ed.), Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, Australian National University
3. ^ "Than tells of losing 700 million vatu to Ghosh", Vanuatu Daily Post, January 7, 2011
4. ^ Howard Van Trease, Melanesian politics: stael blong Vanuatu, Christchurch: University of Canterbury, 1995, ISBN 0-9583300-4-2, pp.110-111, 118-119, 123, 143
5. ^ "The political parties and groupings of Vanuatu", Pacific Institute of Public Policy, August 2008
6. ^ "A COUP THAT FAILED? RECENT POLITICAL EVENTS IN VANUATU", David Ambrose, State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Project, Australian National University, 1996
7. ^ "The political parties and groupings of Vanuatu", Pacific Institute of Public Policy, August 2008
8. ^ "Le Vanuatu renouvelle son parlement", Les Nouvelles calédoniennes, May 3, 2002
9. ^ "The political parties and groupings of Vanuatu", Pacific Institute of Public Policy, August 2008
10. ^ "The Origins and Effects of Party Fragmentation in Vanuatu", Michael G. Morgan, in Roland Rich (ed.), Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, Australian National University
11. ^ Headline archives of the Vanuatu Weekly Hebdomadaire, Emalus Campus, University of the South Pacific
12. ^ "RAPPORT PUBLIC SUR LA MAUVAISE PRATIQUE ADMINISTRATIVE DE L'ANCIENNE COMMISSION DE CITOYENNETÉ ET LES VICES DU RÈGLEMENT CONJOINT SUR LA NATIONALITÉ", Office of the Ombudsman of Vanuatu, December 16, 2005
13. ^ "Than tells of losing 700 million vatu to Ghosh", Vanuatu Daily Post, January 7, 2011
14. ^ "Vanuatu Investor to Launch New Domestic Airline", Vanuatu Daily Post, January 5, 2011
15. ^ "Ni-Vanuatu businessman discusses plans to set up new airline", ABC Radio Australia, january 27, 2011

Persondata
Name	Dinh Van Than
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death