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Supreme Court of Vanuatu |
IN THE SUPREME COURT | Civil |
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Before: | Justice Aru |
Counsel: | Mr. E. Nalyal for the Claimant |
JUDGMENT
Introduction
1. This is an application for summary judgment. The application is supported by a sworn statement of the claimant filed on 16 April
2018.
2. Such an application may be made under Rule 9.6 of the Civil Procedure Rules. Rule 9.6 1), 2), 7), 8) and 9) provides:-
“9.6 Summary judgment
(1) This rule applies where the defendant has filed a defence but the claimant believes that the defendant does not have any real
prospect of defending the claimant’s claim.
(2) The claimant may apply to the court for a summary judgment.
........
(7) If the court is satisfied that:
a) the defendant has no real prospect of defending the claimant’s claim or part of the claim; and
b) there is no need for a trial of the claim or that part of the claim, the court may:
c) give judgment for the claimant for the claim or part of the claim; and
d) make any other orders the court thinks appropriate.
(8) If the court refuses to give summary judgment, it may order the defendant to give security for costs within the time stated in
the order.
(9) The court must not give judgment against a defendant under this rule if it is satisfied that there is a dispute between the parties
about a substantial question of fact, or a difficult question of law.”
Background
Claim
5. In brief, the claimant asserts that he is the declared custom owner of the portion of champagne beach covered by the 004 Lease.
He pleads his claim at paragraph 9 and 10 of the claim as follows:-
“9. The defendants have trespassed onto the lease and erected cement posts for a cattle fence and put cattle there which remain
to this day and despite written request from the claimant to the defendants to remove their fence posts and cattle they have refused
to do so.
10. The defendants without any lawful night and despite the judgment trespassed onto the lease and the claimant’s portion of champagne beach and collects to this day, rent from shops erected within the lease and from vehicles taking tourists onto land under the lease.”
Defence
Application
Submissions
Discussions
15. Having heard submissions from Counsel, I am of the view that the claimant has misconceived his standing and ability to enforce
or prevent the defendants from coming onto the leased land. The land as declared to him is no longer custom land as he has opted
to convert it into a registered lease .Once registration of the lease occurs, the provisions of the Land Leases Act [CAP 163] (the Act) then apply. Part 4 of the Act gives effect to a lease once registered and s 14 of states that:-
“PART 4 – EFFECT OF REGISTRATION
14. Interest conferred by registration
Subject to the provisions of this Act, the registration of a person as the proprietor of a lease shall vest in that person the leasehold
interest described in the lease together with all implied and expressed rights belonging thereto and subject to all implied and expressed
agreements, liabilities and incidents of the lease.
(emphasis added)”
16. The Act recognises that the leasehold interest in a registered lease is vested in the proprietors of the lease. The proprietors
of the 004 lease are Janet Iercet and Lenghan Iercet. They are the only persons who have standing to file a claim to enforce or restrain
people from trespassing onto their lease but they are not a party in this proceeding.
17. As they are not the claimants nor the applicants for summary judgment, the application for summary judgment fails and is hereby
dismissed.
18. The defendants are entitled to costs to be agreed or taxed by the Master.
DATED at Port Vila this 28 day of August, 2018
BY THE COURT
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D. Aru
Judge
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URL: http://www.paclii.org/vu/cases/VUSC/2018/172.html