Motion against PM is lodged

A Motion of No Confidence in the Prime Minister, Joe Natuman, has been lodged in Parliament by the opposition.

The Office of the Speaker of Parliament, Philip Boedoro, confirmed that the motion, registered Number 12 of 2014, was received at 3.30 Friday afternoon.

The long talked-about motion is moved by the Leader of the Opposition, Moana Carcasses, Member of Parliament for Port Vila, and seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Serge Vohor, Member of Parliament for Santo.

The motion was lodged under Article 43, paragraph 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu providing for a Motion of No Confidence to be tabled against the Prime Minister and Article 41 of the Constitution and Standing Orders 8 and 9 (3) of the Vanuatu Parliament providing for election of a new Prime Minister.

Five reasons have been given for the motion.

The first is that the prime minister “is causing huge financial, economical, and social harm to the country by refusing/neglecting to enforce the Court validated airport concession, thus risking to cause damages expected at more than three billions of vatu".

Secondly that the Prime Minister “intervened and has interfered in exercise of his powers with the public service and constitutional institutions to favor illegal removal of the chairman of the Public Service Commission and the chairman and members of the Citizenship Commission".

The third reason given is that the Prime Minister “has neglected to immediately act on the e-visa scheme in China and to investigate the allegations of misuse of such funds for individual purpose".

Fourth is that the Prime Minister “has stopped the decentralized councils of ministers meetings and thus deprived Sanma, Penama, Tafea, and Malampa provinces the benefit of the same.” And fifth reason is that the Prime Minister “is giving a wrong direction to the country, the direction of inactivity, favoritism and direction towards the past instead of focusing on the economic sovereignty and the future.”

The motion has been signed by 22 MPs of the 52-member Parliament.

MPs Carcasses and Vohor and Willie Jimmy - MP for Port Vila, Paul Telukluk – MP for Malekula, Marcelino Pipite – MP for Santo, Arnold Prasad – MP for Santo, Tony Nari – MP for Pentecost, Silas Yatan – MP for Tanna, Jonas James – MP for Paama, John Amos – MP for Tongoa, Jean-Yves Chabod – MP for Port Vila, Tony Wright – MP for Port Vila, Toara Daniel – MP for Shepherds, Pascal Iauko – MP for Tanna, Thomas Laken – MP for Tanna, Jerome Ludvauve – MP for Malekula, Robert Bohn – MP for Epi, Christophe Emelee – MP for Torba, Samson Samsen – MP for Santo, Steven Kalsakau – MP for Efate, Hosea Nevu – MP for Santo, and Kalvau Moli – MP for Luganville.

Under the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu Section 43 (2) at least seven days’ notice is required for the motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister, which means that this motion will mature for debate by the Parliament next Friday.

The motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister has come two days after the written motion by the government tabled Prime Minister Natuman and the Deputy Prime Minister Ham Lini to suspend 16 members of the Opposition for alleged bribery was registered by Parliament.

Under Standing Orders of Parliament Section 35 on Written Motions, three clear days is required before a written motion can be debated. Hence, the announcement from the Parliament that the motion has been set down for debate at 4pm on Tuesday next week.

The two movers of the motion against the prime minister are among those listed in the first motion for suspension that will be debated on Tuesday.