18 Jun 2007

Vanuatu government numbers swell dramatically - vote of no confidence withdrawn

4:22 pm on 18 June 2007

The motion of no-confidence filed against Vanuatu's Prime Minister Ham Lini has been withdrawn in parliament today.

It was filed last week by the then opposition leader Serge Vohor.

However Mr Vohor has since joined the government along with his Union of Moderate Parties MPs.

The move secured the coalition government a majority in the 52-seat house again following the departure of the Vanuaaku Pati from the coalition last week.

The Speaker of the House, Sam Dan Avock, says that the opposition's seconders of the motion didn't press on with the it because they didn't have numbers.

"No they dont have the numbers. This morning, I could see the government side had roughly about 45, roughly about that number because part opf the Green Confederation, they also joned the government, part of it."