Shadow Cabinet announced

For the first time since independence nearly 36 years ago, Vanuatu has a Shadow Cabinet.

The Shadow Leadership as the Opposition prefers to call it was officially announced by Leader of the Opposition, Ishmael Kalsakau, at a press conference Friday morning at Parliament House in Port Vila.

Under the Shadow Cabinet, Leader of Opposition IshmaeI Kalsakau, Deputy Leader of Opposition Sato Kilman and Opposition Whip Christophe Emelee will maintain their positions.

The new structure was agreed to by a meeting of all the members of the Opposition Thursday to provide some leadership aspects on different areas of governance of the Government of Vanuatu.

This structure will allow all Opposition members to be vocal on national issues especially on those that are concerned with the Government Ministry that the Shadow Leader is responsible for and they are ready to take up these responsibilities.

“The Office of the Leader of Opposition will be shadow leader on every issue that comes under the Office of the Prime Minister. His office will every week deal with issues that are handled by the Office of the Prime Minister and institutions that come under the Office of the Prime Minister,” the Leader of Opposition said.

For the Ministry of Trade, the Shadow Cabinet Leader is MP Mark Ati. A former VCMB employee; he is familiar with issues local farmers are dealing with every day in regards to trade. Finance has gone to MP for Santo, Hosea Nevu, also Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee; Lands Shadow Leader is MP for Efate, Joshua Kalsakau; Education Shadow Leader is Tom Noam, MP for Tanna; Agriculture has gone to MP Christophe Emelee, the Opposition Whip who has experience in the area since he held the portfolio in the last government.

Justice has gone to Isaac Donald Tongaliu, MP for Epi; Shadow Cabinet leader for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities is MP for Malekula Don Ken; Internal Affairs, which is connected with matters to do with labor and workers rights, has gone to Ephraim Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila.

Health Shadow Leader is MP for Ambae Jay Ngwele; Youth and Sports to MP for Tongoa, Kalo Pakoa Lano, commonly known as Kami; Climate Change Shadow Leader is MP for Banks Jack Wona and Foreign Affairs has gone to the Deputy Leader of Opposition and former prime minister, Sato Kilman.

“This Shadow Leadership of the Office of Opposition will be used to canvas issues of the people starting from next week for Government’s attention,” Kalsakau continued. For the time being the Shadow Leadership will be housed in the Parliament House.

“Now that the idea has been announced it will be taken to the Government of Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas in the coming week with council papers to help them develop it so that each shadow leader has a PA to assist with running the offices.”

The Opposition is also looking at an amendment to the Official Salaries Act and submission for funding to allow the shadow leadership offices to function.