The Vanuatu opposition boycotted parliament this morning forcing the speaker to suspend the sitting until Monday next week. 23 November 2018. Photo: Hilaire Bule/ Vanuatu Government
The Vanuatu Council of Ministers has agreed to ask the president of the republic Nikenike Vurobaravu to dissolve Parliament.
The national broadcaster VBTC reports the Council met on Friday morning and approved the decision which comes just over a year since the last snap election was held.
Earlier this week, a motion of no confidence signed by 29 MPs was deposited with the Speaker of Parliament Seoule Simeon and an extraordinary sitting has been scheduled for Tuesday next week to debate it.
The mover of the motion is the deputy leader of the opposition and MP for the Luganville Constituency, Marc Ati. The motion presents four grounds justifying the removal of Salwai, which include the mismanagement of Air Vanuatu, appointment an MP who is allegedly under investigation for corruption, Salwai being unfit to hold office, and Slawai's not attending the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in the Cook Islands this week.
The ongoing political instability in Vanuatu has seen four prime ministers installed in the space of three years.
According to Section 28(3) of Vanuatu's constitution "the President of the Republic may, on the advice of the Council of Ministers, dissolve Parliament".
Once an official request from the Council of Ministers is received by the president, the fate of parliament rests firmly in his hands.
