‘Confident’ PM Kilman prepares to table budget
The threat of a motion of no confidence against prime minister Sato Kilman is again on the cards as Vanuatu’s 1st ordinary session of parliament looms closer.
But the odds are that he will have the luxury of numbers when parliament sits to debate the 2013 budget.
Political pundits are convinced the prime minister will command a comfortable majority of 30-plus MPs in the 52-member house, which meets from March 8 to 22.
The first extraordinary session is scheduled to follow from March 25 to April 5 to discuss 23 government bills.
Unsurprisingly two weekends before parliament convenes, numbers on one side changed as allegiances swayed reassuringly for Kilman.
The changes came just days after leader of the opposition Edward Natapei had discussed with the PM the possibility of his group working with the government to address corruption issues that have plagued his reign.
Perhaps most surprising of all was that the changes came in the form of one Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) MP, a Vanua’aku Pati (VP) MP, one independent and a former government backbencher switching sides to back Kilman.
UMP Port Vila MP Tony Wright reportedly reconciled with the Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) in the Prime Minister’s Office recently while Paama MP Jonas James also returned to the Natatok fold, the party of controversial foreign minister Alfred Carlot.
Also, National United Party’s (NUP) Morkin Stevens, the former Minister of Sports who sat at the centre of the house when this parliament was first constituted is under pressure from his party executive to join the government side.
The recent changes will no doubt influence the makeup of Penama, Malampa, Shefa and Tafea-the four provincial governments which went through elections on February 12, 2013.
Meanwhile a government of national unity formed by a coalition of parties to maintain stability and combat corruption may be food for thought for both the opposition and the government.
As the political press mill turns there is more than one contender in the political arena who has his sights set on prime ministership. Similarly others have their eyes on ministerial portfolios so that they can be in a better position to deliver on their election promises.
Kilman has successfully sailed through his share of motion of no trusts and proved he can entertain a coalition government of many parties—some of which are single-members, as well as independents.
His reign in the 10th Legislature is no exception—now reinforced by UMP and VP runaways, in addition to his own People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Reunification Movement for Change (RMC), National United Party (NUP), Vanuatu Republican Party (VRP), Iauko Group (IG), Natatok, Green Confederation (GC), Peoples’ Development Services Party (VDSP), Vanuatu Progressive Development Party (VPDP), Vanuatu National Party (VNP), Nagriamel and Independents.
Both sides of the house are optimistic of their chances and only time will tell if PM Kilman will continue as prime minister.
