With a background in archaeology, Richard Shing oversees the work of The Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta (VKS), a statutory body that is mandated to  preserve, protect and develop important aspects of Vanuatu’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

VKS plays a major role in the recording and documentation of cultural and historical events and oral traditions, the collection of valuable oral traditions and traditional knowledge and artefacts, the surveying of cultural and historical sites and the discovery of significant archaeological sites.