I'd like to remind people that these tests are inconclusive. I see on different threads a little Vanuatu bashing. It's subtle, but it is apparent that Vanuatu is being picked on to a large degree. People posting here have the intelligence and the decency not to outright point the finger at who they blame for this 'spiking' but it's quite obvious if you read enough threads that Vanuatu is being blamed the most and it's getting a little too much in my opinion. I am trying my best to come on here more often and read more threads but I simply can't manage it right now. So the best I can do is post my thoughts on this below.
What I want to say is that the tests being conducted and their results are not 100% proven to be correct. The people carrying out the tests have all the best intentions but they must remember that there could be any number of reasons why the tests are showing these results, it could be the simplest of things yet overlooked and these reasons might not be Tudei spiking and in my opinion ARE NOT Tudei spiking. I am not going to say any more as there is ongoing efforts to solve the mystery of why good Kava is showing as spiked in these tests, I myself and others are doing all we can to work it out.
I would like to remind people that the farmers in Vanuatu had to be talked into planting Kava again because a lot of them stopped when the EU restrictions came into effect, Kava is a crop which as you know can only be harvested after a number of years. It is a lot more certain when you plant Yams etc that you will get a quick harvest and a definite income. A lot of these farmers had to be convinced (and in many cases it took a lot of convincing) to plant Kava again, it was not an easy task. These farmers, their families, the seamen who take the Kava from the small islands to the big ones (Efate and Espirito Santo mostly), the seamens families, the people who work at Kava processing on the main islands, their families and the people who work in Kava exports and their families ALL depend on Kava for their income, plus all the people locally who benefit from Kava income which trickles down. That means that without Kava they cannot afford to pay the teachers to educate their children, to pay for basic amenities, medical care and and anything else they most definitely need. Vanuatu is not an easy country to live in unless you are politically connected or are a foreigner who has flown in with massive capital and can live like a king and use and a lot of the time abuse the locals for labour to profit themselves. Most Ni-Vans struggle just to feed their families and keep a roof over their head. And by a roof over their head I mean the shacks which the majority of the people live in. These homes consist of a mud floor, some corrugated iron, chipboard and even cardboard (yes, people in paradise live in what are basically cardboard boxes). Imagine what happens when typhoon season strikes.
A lot of good, decent, honest people survive on the farming of Kava and it's export from Vanuatu and until we know FOR SURE that these test results are 100% correct then I would like to ask people to lay off the Vanuatu bashing. It has the potential of putting the livelihoods of thousands of people in jeopardy. Vanuatu is the undisputed root of Kava on this planet, it is where Kava originated from and it has a right to a fair trial and make no mistake this is a fucking trial from what I have seen on this forum. Some people are treating Vanuatu like it is guilty before it can even prove its innocence. Things happen slowly in Vanuatu and everyone must accept this and wait and see what responses we get regarding these tests. I don't believe that Tudei should be sold as Noble and I believe that people have a right to know what they are ingesting but for the love of Kava don't do what Germany and the EU did in 2002 by jumping the gun and making statements and declarations about Kava which HAVE NOT BEEN PROVEN. If you do then you are no better than the bureaucrats who damned it back in 2002 and have caused all these problems to date (in Europe in particular). You are trying to do the right thing and are trying to ensure that Kava is labelled properly so that the European situation does not happen elsewhere and this is admirable but hold back and think, think about the consequences of your actions because instead of being the upright saviours of Kava that you think you are being you may well be the next bunch of people who destroy the reputation of Kava because you didn't have the patience to wait and see what the actual truth is.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, please now give the people in Vanuatu the time to evaluate your tests and respond.