15 May 2006

Vanuatu Speaker confirms motion of no-confidence in Lini gov't withdrawn

3:36 pm on 15 May 2006

Vanuatu's speaker of parliament has confirmed that the opposition's motion of no-confidence in Ham Lini's government has been withdrawn.

Sam Dan Avock says that after he received the documents calling for parliament to be reconvened and the motion to be debated, several MPs decided to withdraw their signatures.

The original list, lodged by the opposition on Wednesday, included 29 signatures, including eleven government MPs.

But Mr Avock says that after the late withdrawal of seven of the government MPs who had signed, the list dropped below the number required before the 52-seat parliament could reconvene.

"Now I rule that the Parliament will not sit to look at this motion because we haven't got the required number to call an extraordinary session. We have not the required number of 27 members to sign the request."

Sam Dan Avock says that parliament will next sit on June 5th as previously scheduled.