Vanuatu – the timeline
The following timeline details how events unfolded in the Vanuatu parliament since March 11 when parliament met at its first ordinary session:
Monday 11 March: West Papua Independence leader Benny Wenda meets Vanuatu parliamentarians. Sato Kilman is noticeably absent from those present to hear Mr Wenda speak about his people’s struggle to break from Indonesian rule and about the atrocities the Indonesian security forces are inflicting on them. Deputy Prime Minister Ham Lini takes his place. The first signs of schism in Sato Kilman’s government are seen in the attendance at the event of Moana Carcasses, who would ultimately lead the flight from the Kilman camp and become Prime Minister himself.
Tuesday 12 March: Opposition members deposit a motion of no confidence in prime minister Sato Kilman. The motion is deposited by Vanua’aku pati President, Edward Natapei Ralph and seconded by Ralph Regenvanu of Graon Mo Jastis Pati.
Both Ham Lini of the National United Party (NUP) and Edward Natapei of the Vanua’aku pati call for the MSG to recognise the struggle of the West Papuans and to have them accepted into the sub-regional group by June this year when it meets in Noumea. Natapei also says a new government will ditch ties with Indonesia, paving the way for West Papua to be accepted into the MSG.
Thursday 14 March: Speaker George Wells rules the motion is in order and is widely reported to be debated on Tuesday March 19. However, under parliamentary standing orders, motions of no confidence mature only after a week (seven days) from when it is deposited, which means Thursday 21 March.
Monday 18 March. Prime minister Sato Kilman summons his coalition party presidents to a meeting at his office at 2pm. Absent is Greens President Moana Carcasses.
Wednesday Monday 18 March: Carcasses, who claims the backing of 9 others, clearly indicates his change of allegiance by sitting on the opposition side—increasing the opposition numbers from 18 to 28. Kilman becomes fully aware that his governing coalition is surely unraveling.
Port Vila MP Ralph Regenvanu tells Radio Australia the reasons for depositing the motion and alludes to the possibility of him getting disciplined by the Kilman government for causing “instability” with the motion of no confidence despite knowing he did not have the numbers.
Tuesday 19 March: The motion is rescheduled for debate on Thursday during written motions time at 4pm.
Wednesday 20 March: Natapei makes it clear he will not be in the running for the post of prime minister.
Thursday 21 March (morning): Kilman tells media a minute is a long time in Vanuatu politics —suggesting he could still win back the hearts of his defectors.
Thursday 21 March 4pm: Parliament convenes. The government side eventually turns up and the speaker announces the resignation of prime minister Sato Kilman and rules parliament therefore no longer has any business, as far as the motion is concerned, to deal with. He insists on this ruling, ignoring points of orders raised by both Natapei and Regenvanu that there still is a second part to the motion, which is to elect a new prime minister if Kilman has indeed resigned.
Friday 22 March 4pm: Opposition members, their lawyers, government counsel and a large crowd of onlookers gather at the Supreme Court for a hearing to decide the legality of Speaker George Wells’ conduct on the previous day, specifically his decision to reject the Opposition’s motion outright without allowing amendment. After delays and a deliberation that stretched into the small hours of Saturday morning, Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek’s ruling requires Parliament to reconvene at 10:00 a.m. Saturday 23 March.
Saturday 23 March 10am: Opposition MPs arrive ready to vote, but are forced to wait for the speaker to convene parliament. The government lodges an appeal early Saturday morning, and then makes an application for a “Stay Order” on the Supreme Court’s order (of less than 12 hours earlier) . At about the same time parliament was supposed to be reconvening the Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek, starts hearing the application for a “Stay Order”.
The speaker awaits the decision of the court on whether it is going to grant the Stay Order or not. When the CJ rules at about 12pm that he is not going to grant the Stay Order, the speaker finally rings the bells to convene parliament.
At roughly 1pm, Moana Carcasses (the sole nominee) is elected as Vanuatu’s new Prime Minister with 34 votes in favour, according to reports. Those MPs who continued in their support for Sato Kilman boycott the vote. Shortly thereafter, Prime Minister Carcasses announces the following cabinet:
- Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil
- Deputy PM & Minister of Foreign Affairs & External Trade Edward Nipake Natapei
- Minister of Agriculture David Tosul
- Minister of Education Bob Loughman
- Minister of Finance and Economic Managment Willy Jimmy
- Minister of Health Serge Vohor
- Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities Esmon Simon
- Minister of Internal Affairs Patrick Crowby
- Minister of Justice and Social Welfare Maki Simelum
- Minister of Lands, Geology and Mines Ralph Regenvanu
- Minister of Sports Tony Wright
- Minister of Planning and Climate Change Thomas Laken
- Minister of Tourism Marcelino Pipite
Notable changes in Mr Carcasses cabinet is the Ministry of Ni-Vanuatu Business Development and Ministry of Trade are merged into a new Ministry of Tourism And Commerce
In addition, Ministry of Youth Development, Training and Sports is re-instated and the Ministry of Civil Aviation is removed.
And a new ministry of Planning and Climate Change Adaptation is created.
