MPs Nevu and Ati join Vanua’aku Pati

Sanma Members of Parliament – Hosea Nevu of Santo Rural and Marc Ati of Luganville Town have joined the Vanua’aku Pati (VP).

MP Hosea Nevu performed a custom ceremony on Saturday evening on behalf of himself and MP Ati to the Interim President of the VP and Deputy Prime Minister, Joe Natuman, in front of senior officials of the VP including fellow Santo MP and Minister of Justice and Community Services, Ronald Warsal, to join the party.

Natuman welcomed the two MPs to the VP and said their number is needed to ensure this coalition government of Prime Minister Charlot Salwai completed its mandate at the end of the four year tenure of this Parliament.

Secretary General of the Vanua’aku Pati Philip Boedoro says the move by the two MPs from the Iauko Group breakaway grouping of the VP, fulfills a promise made by the full membership of the Iauko Group during last year’s Congress of the VP at Hog Harbor, Santo to return to the Vanua’aku Pati. And that only two of them performed the custom ceremony to return to the VP this time because the others — Jay Ngwele, MP — for Ambae and Kalo Pakoa — MP for Tongoa, had joined other political parties.

“Today ends the journey we started at Hog Harbor to rejoin the Vanua’aku Pati and I am here today on behalf of myself and my brother (MP for Luganville)to formally completely this journey,” Nevu told Natuman.

“I am happy to join the Vanua’aku Pati, the party that set us free from the colonial struggle hold,” he added.

Interim President Natuman said he was happy that what they started at Hog Harbor was able to be finally achieved. He said that their joining the party now increases the number of VP members in Parliament from six to eight and makes VP now one of the largest coalition partner.

“We are very happy for your decision because we need the numbers on our side to maintain this government till the end of its term,” he said.