A new mayor has been voted in for the municipal council of Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, seeing off his rival by only one vote.
The newly-elected councillor of the Union of Moderate Parties Council, Ulrich Sumptoh, defeated the Greens Confederation councillor, Eric Festa.
The newly-elected Vanuaaku Pati councillor, Leimara Malachi, was elected Deputy Mayor.
The Daily Post reports all 17 newly-elected councillors were present for the election of the Mayor.
The Greens President and Prime Minister, Moana Carcasses, as well as the Graon mo Jastis Pati President and Lands Minister, Ralph Regenvanu, and senior Government representatives were present to witness the election of the new Mayor.
A major challenge facing the new mayor is that the council has not been allocated any budget by the central government, and will have to raise its own funds.
