Parliament yesterday suspended Standing Order 18 to allow two extra hours of sitting time, extending the second extraordinary session.
The session, adjourned Wednesday, resumed this morning.
The Leader of Government Business and Member (MP) of Parliament for Pentecost, Charlot Salwai, presented an oral motion to suspend Standing Order 18 following a request from the Leader of Opposition and Port Vila MP, Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau.
The Standing Order outlines the normal sitting hours of Parliament-8:30 am to 11:30 am and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm—unless otherwise decided by a motion.
Opposition Leader Kalsakau had requested the adjournment to allow Members of Parliament additional time to read and understand the bills, noting that some MPs had only recently received their documents due to technical issues with their parliamentary iPads.
In response, Salwai moved the motion to suspend the standing order, which passed with 47 votes in favour.
Speaker of Parliament, Stephen Felix, noted there were no objections to the adjournment and subsequently adjourned the sitting to this morning.
A total of 19 bills are listed for consideration during this extraordinary session, including the Bill for the Cocoa Act, the Vanuatu National Provident Fund Act, the Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Foreshore Development Act, the Harmful Digital Communications Act, the Industrial Hemp and Medical Cannabis Bill, the Vanuatu Intellectual Property Office Act, the Energy Efficiency of Electrical Appliances, Equipment and Lighting Products Bill, the Government Act, the Motor Vehicles Bill, the Child Protection Act, the Reserve Bank Act, the Land Lease (Amendment) Act, the Citizenship Act, the Custom Land Management (Amendment) Act, the Decentralisation (Amendment) Act, the Electrical Works Safety Act, the Financial Institutions Act, and the Land Reform (Amendment) Act.
Parliament met yesterday for its second extraordinary session, and Seoule Simeon, who has been sentenced by the Supreme Court to two years and six months for car theft, was not summoned to attend.
Released on bail while awaiting his appeal hearing, Seoule is no longer an MP and therefore cannot attend any parliamentary sittings, according to the Clerk of Parliament Maxime Banga.
“As already mentioned, and cleared in our official post, his functions as Member of Parliament ceased since his sentencing—therefore, he won’t attend any sitting until such time the court decides otherwise,” Clerk Banga said.
Speaker Stephen Felix has officially granted another 30-day extension to the convicted MP for the Epi constituency, pending the outcome of his appeal.
The speaker recently confirmed that he acted in accordance with the Members of Parliament (Vacation of Seats) Act [CAP 174], after receiving a formal request from the Epi MP.
The extension means the MP will retain his seat until 27 October 2025, unless the appeal process concludes earlier.
“The Act specifically states that, pending his appeal, 150 days is legitimate,” said Speaker Felix.
Parliament is scheduled to resume this morning at 8:30 am to continue the debate and consideration of the bills.
