Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Vanuatu’s opposition lodges motion of no-confidence against PM

Posted at 21:51 on 30 November, 2012 UTC

Vanuatu’s opposition says it has the signatures of 28 of the 52 MPs in parliament on a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Sato Kilman.

Mr Kilman was voted in as Prime Minister last month in a 29 to 23 vote among MPs in the first sitting of the new parliament.

In a statement, the opposition lists its reasons for lodging the motion, including the claim that Mr Kilman’s newly appointed cabinet contains Ministers who have been convicted by the courts and others whose cases are still pending in court.

The opposition says the failure by Mr Kilman to discipline his ministers, and maintain commitment to good governance, continues to perpetuate corruption.

It also says Mr Kilman has brought disrepute upon Vanuatu internationally by the continuing sale of Vanuatu passports to foreign nationals, appointments of cronies to diplomatic positions, and by building closer relations with Indonesia against the wishes of parliament and the people of Vanuatu.

Under Vanuatu’s Constitution, parliament must meet within seven days, by next Friday, to vote on this motion.