Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Vanuatu parliament awaits Supreme Court decision on PM’s status as MP

Posted at 02:29 on 30 November, 2009 UTC

Vanuatu’s MPs are not expected to elect a new Prime Minister until next Monday after the incumbent was stripped of his parliamentary seat due to a basic paperwork error.

Edward Natapei, who has been attending the Commonwealth summit in Trinidad and Tobago, missed three consecutive sittings without submitting an authorised written explanation for his absence.

Under Vanuatu’s law, this means he must forfeit his seat.

However, Mr Natapei’s lawyers have challenged the speaker’s decision in the Supreme Court which is due to make a ruling by the end of this week before parliament resumes next week.

In the meantime, Mr Natapei, who has returned from Trinidad and Tobago, remains the Prime Minister.

But a precedent ruling in 1988 when the speaker stripped all 18 Union of Moderate MPs of their seats for the same reason was subsequently upheld by the Appeal Court.

This leaves it likely that a by-election will be held in Mr Natapei’s constituency .

In the meantime, a new configuration of government is expected to emerge.