MOTION No 2015

MOVER: Honourable , MP for Port Vila

SECONDER: Honourable , MP for Santo

SUBJECT: DISCIPLINE OF:

1 The Hon.

2 The Hon. Joe NATUMAN

3 The Hon. Ham Lini VANUAROROA

WHEREAS:

A. The Hon. Moana Carcasses Kalosil as leader of the Opposition had deposited, with the Speaker, a motion of No Confidence against the Former Prime Minister the Hon. Joe NATUMAN prior to the 2nd session of Parliament for 2014.

B. In response to the proposed Motion of No confidence, the Hon. Joe NATUMAN proposed a motion ("the Proposed Motion") to suspend 16 opposition Members of Parliament ("the 16 MP's") in the second session of Parliament for 2014 on the basis of facts alleged against the 16 MP's that had not been established in a court of law.

C. The Hon. Ham Lini VANUAROROA seconded the Proposed Motion by the Hon. Joe NATUMAN.

D. The Hon. Philip BOEDORO as speaker refused to rule the Proposed Motion out of order.

E. The apparent motive of the Former Prime Minister in moving the Proposed Motion was to deny the 16 MP's the opportunity to vote on the Motion of No confidence against the Former Prime Minister. F. The Hon. Joe NATUMAN used his influence as Prime Minister to convince the majority of members of Parliament to pass the Proposed Motion.

G. Chapter 10 of the Constitution establishes the Leadership Code of the Republic of , and states, in Article 66 (1) that "Any person defined as a leader in Article 67 has a duty to conduct himself in such a way, both in his public and private life, so as not to -

(a) place himself in a position in which he has or could have a conflict of interests or in which the fair exercise of his public or official duties might be compromised;

(b) demean his office or position;

(c) allow his integrity to be called into question; or

(d) endanger or diminish respect for and confidence in the integrity of the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu".

H. Article 67 of the Constitution provides that "For the purposes of this Chapter, a leader means the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and other Ministers, Members of Parliament, and such public servants, officers of Government agencies and other officers as may be prescribed by law".

I. The 16 MP's filed a Constitutional Petition challenging the decision of Parliament to suspend them on that basis, inter alia, that their constitutional rights were infringed as there had been no finding of fact made against them in a court of law.

J. The Supreme Court and then the Court of Appeal found that the 16 MP's rights were infringed by the Proposed Motion as well as the decision passed by the majority of members of Parliament, as only a court can establish whether allegations of criminal conduct (including breaches of the Leadership Code) have been committed. K. The former Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Speaker knew or ought reasonably to have known at the time the motion was moved, seconded and ultimately allowed by the Speaker to be voted on in Parliament that their conduct was in contravention of the 16 MP's Constitutional rights.

L. The conduct of the named MP's as "Leaders" under the provisions of the Constitution attracted international attention and ridicule as such a mass suspension of members of parliament without lawful basis was unprecedented in a democratic country and thereby their conduct demeaned their office or position and endangered and/or diminished respect for and confidence in the integrity of the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu.

M. By virtue of their actions, and by virtue of their conduct, which the Court of Appeal has found to be unconstitutional, while holding, respectively, the high office of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament, these Honourable Members have brought disrepute upon Parliament, the office of the Speaker and the integrity of the institution and it’s members.

AND WHEREAS:

N. Standing Order 40(4) states that "Parliament may, on a motion moved by a member, suspend any member from the service of Parliament for such period indicated in the motion. A member who is suspended shall not be admitted to Parliament or its precincts during the period of suspension"

0. Standing Order 35(1) states that "Any Member who wishes to move a written motion shall give notice thereof by delivering to the Clerk a copy of it signed by him and by one other Member acting as seconder not less than three (3) clear days before the day on which he intends to move such motion"

NOW THEREFORE PARLIAMENT HEREBY RESOLVES: That the Honourable Members named in this motion shall be suspended from Parliament with immediate effect, and that this suspension shall only be lifted after the conclusion of the first Ordinary Session of Parliament of 2016. '3'. &> MOTION No V(S 2015

Comotionaire: Monsieur Moana Carcasses Kalosil, depute de Port Vila

Co Motionnaire: Monsieur Serge Vohor, depute de Santo Rural

OBJET: DISCIPLINE DE:

1 Monsieur Philip BOEDORO 2 Monsieur Joe Natuman 3 Monsieur Ham Lini VANUAROROA

ATTENDU QUE:

A. Monsieur Moana Carcasses Kalosil en tant que leader de I'opposition avait depose au bureau du President du Parlement, une motion de censure contre I’ancien Premier ministre, Monsieur Joe Natuman, avant la 2&me session du Parlement de 2014.

B. En r^ponse a la motion de censure, Monsieur Joe Natuman a depose une motion ("la motions) visant a suspendre 16 deputes de I'opposition ("16 deputes") a la deuxteme session du Parlement de 2014 sur la base des faits reproches au 16 deputes qui n'a pas ete etablie par une courde justice.

C. Monsieur Ham Lini VANUAROROA a appuye la motion proposee par Monsieur Joe Natuman.

D. Monsieur Philip BOEDORO en tant que President du Parlement a refuse de declarer la motion irrecevable.

E. Le motif apparent de I'ex-Premier ministre proposant la motion a ete de nier le droit des 16 MP de voter sur la motion de censure contre I'anclen Premier ministre.

F. Monsieur Joe Natuman a use de son influence en tant que Premier ministre pour convaincre la majorite des membres du Parlement afin d'adopter la motion.

G. Le Titre 10 de la Constitution etablit le Leadership Code de la Republique de Vanuatu, et stipule, £ Particle 66 (1) que "Toute personne d^finie comme un leader dans Particle 67, a le devoir de se comporter de telle mani&re, a la fois dans sa vie publique et privee, afin de ne pas -

(A) elle ne se place pas dans une position dans laquelle elle a ou pourrait avoir un conflit d'interets, ou dans laquelle I'exercice convenable de ses devoirs publics ou officiels pourrait etre compromis;;

(B) elle ne deconsidere pas sa fonction ou son rang;

(C) son integrity ne puisse etre mise en doute; ou

(D) le respect et la confiance dans I'integrite du Gouvernement de Vanuatu ne soient pas menaces ou diminues

H. L'artlcle 67 de la Constitution prevoit que «Les Hautes Autorit^s defin ies dans le present Titre comprennent: Le President de la Republique, le Premier Ministre et les autres Ministres, les Membres du Parlement et dans les conditions fixees par la loi, les fonctionnaires et les autres agents du Gouvernement ou des organismes publics. ».

I. Le 16 deputes ont d6pos£ une requete constitutionnelle pour contester la decision du Parlement de les suspendre sur cette base, entre autres, que leurs droits constitutionnels ont 6t6 violas car il n'y avait pas eu de constatation de fait contre eux devant un tribunal de droit.

J. La Cour supreme et la Cour d'appel ont constate que les droits de la 16 MP ont ete violes par la proposition de motion ainsi que la decision adoptee par la majorite des membres du Parlement, que seul un tribunal peut determiner si les allegations de conduite criminelle (y compris les infractions au Code Leadership) si commis.

K. L'ancien Premier ministre, Vice-Premier Ministre et le President savait ou aurait raisonnablement dO savoir, au moment ou la motion a ete proposee, appuyee et finalement autorisee par le President a etre vote au Parlement que sa conduite etait en violation des droits constitutionnels de 16 MP.

L. La conduite des «Leaders» des MP nommes en vertu des dispositions de la Constitution a attir£ I'attention et le ridicule internationale comme une telle suspension de masse des membres du parlement sans base legale a etd sans precedent dans un pays democratique et, partant, leur conduite rabaissee leur bureau ou de la position et le respect en voie de disparition et / ou diminue et la confiance dans I'integrite du gouvernement de la Republique de Vanuatu. r

M. En vertu de leurs actions, et en vertu de leur conduite, la Cour d'appel a juge la dite Motion inconstitutionnelle, et en perpetrant cette action, le Premier ministre, le vice-Premier ministre et le president du Parlement ont apport6 le discredit sur le Parlement, le bureau du President et de I'integrite de I'institution et a ses membres.

ET ATTENDU QUE:

N. L'article 40 (4) du Reglement Interieur stipule que «le Parlement peut, su la proposition d'un d£put£, suspendre un depute de ses fonctions parlementaire pendant une p^riode specifiee dans la motion. Un depute suspendu ne peut £tre admis au Parlement, nl dans ses dependances pendant la duree de sa suspension."

O. L'article 35 (1) stipule que «Tout depute qui veut presenter une motion Kerite en avise le secretaire general en lui remettant une copie portant sa signature et celle d'un comotionnaire au moins trois(3) jours avant le jour auquel il prevoit de la presenter."

EN CONSEQUENCE Le PARLEMENT decide par la presente:

Que les membres nommes dans cette motion soit suspendus du Parlement, avec effet imm^diat, et que cette suspension ne sera levee que apres la conclusion de la premiere session ordinaire du Parlement de 2016.

Proposee par:

Monsieur Moana Carcasses honorable Kalosil, depute de Port Vila

Appuyg Par:

Monsieur Ser