27 Mar 2019

Vanuatu PM plans to enlarge cabinet

5:52 pm on 27 March 2019

The parliament of Vanuatu has been summoned for a special sitting on Friday to debate a proposed expansion of the size of cabinet.

Vanuatu's Charlot Salwai.

Vanuatu's Charlot Salwai. Photo: RNZ/Koroi Hawkins

The sitting has been called by the Speaker Esmon Saimon on the advice of the prime minister Charlot Salwai who wants to amend the constitution to that end.

Currently, the size of the cabinet may not exceed a quarter of the number of parliamentarians.

However, Mr Salwai wants this to be increased to a third, which means cabinet can be increased from 13 to 17 ministers.

He said some ministers have been assigned too many portfolios.

The Daily Post said the plan appears to be to split up the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Biosecurity and Forestry and the Ministry of Trade and Commerce.

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