The Office of the Vanuatu Speaker of Parliament has confirmed that there will be no Extraordinary Session of Parliament before 20 September.
The Speaker’s Office said the government’s motion to dethrone the current Speaker of Parliament, Seoule Simeon, is an ordinary motion and not a motion of no confidence against a Prime Minister (PM).
They explained that an ordinary motion needs 15 days to be matured, compared to seven days of the motion of no confidence.
As such, the government motion to remove Seoule as Speaker is expected to be debated on the 20th of September, but not today.
27 Members of Parliament (MPs) of the government side signed the motion that was deposited on 05 September.
The Office of the Speaker also confirmed that no summon of parliament has no yet been sent to the MPs by Simeon, who is currently also the Acting President of the Republic of Vanuatu while President Nikenike Vurobaravu is absent from his office on medical ground.
A reliable source from the government said under the agreement signed by the political parties to form the new coalition government of PM Sato Kilman, the position of the Speaker was allocated to the Constituency of Malekula and the First Deputy Speaker to TORBA.
The upcoming Extraordinary session is also expected to welcome the newly elected MP for Malekula Constituency, Don Ken, following the outcome of the by-election last week.
Ken was elected under the colours of Kilman’s People Progressive Party (PPP).
His election will increase the number of government MPs to 29.
During the last Extraordinary session which elected the new PM, Kilman secured 27 votes compared to 26 during the vote of no confidence motion.
The outgoing Minister of Justice, John Amos is now in the government side.
Amos initially signed the motion of no confidence motion against Ishmael Kalsakau but left the opposition camp to become Minister of Justice following the resignation of the MP for Ambae, John Still Tari Qetu on the eve of the debate of the motion.
At the party level, PM Kilman has now three PPP MPs in parliament, along with the Nagriamel MP from for Santo who is now the current Minister of Health, Joshua Pikioune.
Pikioune had performed a custom ceremony after the last snap election to affiliate with Kilman.
SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST/PACNEWS
