The Language Services Department operates as per the following pieces of legislation:
- Article 3(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu, which declares Bislama, English and French as official languages of the country;
- Article 3(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu, which stipulates that Vanuatu must protect its native languages because they are part of its national heritage;
- Article 64(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu, which stipulates the right of a Vanuatu citizen to “obtain, in the official language he uses, the services which he may rightfully expect from the Republic’s administration”; and
- Vanuatu National Language Council Act No.32 of 2005.
In addition to the above, the following legal documents have been very useful in the operation of the Department:
- Order No.1/PM/79 of 17th January 1979, which established the Department a year before Vanuatu gained its independence;
- National Language Policy of the Republic of Vanuatu that covers all Vanuatu languages, whether official or vernacular; and
- Language Policy of the Language Services Department that deals specifically with language services provided by the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu.
Moreover, a Bill of a National Language Act, which will legislate all language affairs of the Republic of Vanuatu, is now being drafted by the State Law Office for the first time in the history of the country.
