A motion of no confidence against Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau will now be debated next Wednesday, after the government didn’t appear at Parliament today,
Twenty-five members of the Opposition camp attended Parliament’s second extraordinary session for the scheduled debate. The motion could not be debated because there weren’t enough members in attendance to form a quorum.
The motion will now be debated on Wednesday, 16 August.
A motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Kalsakau was submitted to Parliament on 03 August with 27 signatories.
Since then, the government has done a reshuffle in an attempt to build its numbers.
Jotham Napat resigned from his positions as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on Monday. Matai Seremiah was appointed to both roles in his place.
Samson Samsen was appointed the new Minister of Trade and Christopher Emelee was appointed the new Minister of Education. Both MPs had previously been aligned with the Opposition camp.
On Wednesday, the Opposition leader Bob Loughman said he had the numbers to oust the government. Earlier in the day, Napat told VBTC the government was confident it had the numbers to defeat the motion.
Minister of Justice and Community Service John Still Tariqetu, from the National United Party, resigned on Wednesday evening. John Amos, from Leader Party Vanuatu, was sworn into the position on Thursday morning.
SOURCE: VBTC/PACNEWS
