Natuman government 'blindsided' by Vanuatu no-confidence motion

Transcript

Vanuatu has a new look government after prime minister Joe Natuman was ousted in motion of no-confidence on Thursday.

He has been replaced by Sato Kilman, who was sacked as foreign minister by Mr Natuman last week.

In an instant response, the new opposition has filed a motion of no confidence to try to reverse yesterday's ouster.

While such motions aren't uncommon in Vanuatu politics, this week's change comes at a crucial time for Vanuatu, as Jamie Tahana reports.

Word of a no confidence motion had been circulating for weeks in the lead-up to Thursday's sitting of parliament, but the Natuman government was confident it had the numbers to stay on, having survived three previous attempts in the past year alone.

But on the day, three MPs crossed the floor to the opposition, giving it the numbers to pass the motion by 27 votes to 25. A subsequent vote made Sato Kilman the new Prime Minister.

A key minister in the Natuman government, Ralph Regenvanu, says he was completely blindsided.

"We were taken by surprise. When the time came for the motion three of our MPs crossed the floor, they got up from their seats in parliament, presented their letters of resignation, and then crossed the floor."

One of those to cross the floor was Osea Nevu, who was made a cabinet minister only last week after Sato Kilman was dumped by Mr Natuman as foreign minister in an attempt to shore up stability.

Ralph Regenvanu says Mr Natuman was set up by Mr Nevu.

"Yes. He was a brand new minister for a few days. So it was obviously a setup that we were taken in by."

But one of the key movers of the motion, Moana Carcassess, who was dumped as prime minister after a no-confidence motion in 2014, has defended the ousting of the Natuman government.

One of the reasons cited for the ousting includes the suspension of 16 opposition MPs from parliament last year over allegations that Mr Carcasses gave the MPs 10,000 US dollars each to support a motion against Mr Natuman.

Mr Carcasses has always maintained that the money was a loan and the subsequent suspension was undemocratic.

"It's my money, I can dispose of my money as I wish. It's not government money or whatever. It's not Joe Natuman's money. It's my money. I decided to make some loans for my MPs in the opposition. I don't see why (he suspended us), he's wrong. Anyway, the court will rule on that."

But Ralph Regenvanu says the case against Mr Carcasses involves serious bribery allegations, and he believes the latest motion was done in an attempt to derail the court case.

"In my view that was the main reason for the motion, was to try and prevent the court case against the nineteen members of the opposition which goes to court tomorrow (Friday), starts trial tomorrow.  That's a serious charge and a very solid case too. If it got through, those MPs would be convicted and lose their seats and wouldn't be able to stand in the next election."

Moana Carcasses has denied this, saying there were other reasons for the motion, including the distribution of aid after Cyclone Pam, which devastated much of the country in March.

"Many things went to his constituency (in Tanna) in particular his area, so there was lots of politics in how to share that relief. Many, many complaints if you listen to the radio every day, people are complaining about how the government has managed the relief."

This is the 9th change of Prime Minister in seven years, with no confidence motions being a regular feature in the Vanuatu politics.

But this latest shift comes at a crucial time for a country in the midst of planning for its recovery from cyclone Pam.

A Vanuatu-based academic, Tess Newton Cain, says the previous government had just put together a 2-year recovery programme which was being considered by the Council of Ministers, and it's not clear if Mr Kilman's government will oversee a change in tactics.

"That was going to form the basis of working with donors and lenders about financing, reconstruction and rehabilitation of things like schools and health facilities and infrastructure. So I guess that's what we'll be looking to first is to what happens to that plan, whether it's progressed in its current form or whether it will be held back for review and reformulation by the new government."

However, Tess Newton Cain says with change in Port Vila being such a regular occurrence, the rest of Vanuatu is likely to continue on business as usual.