CERTIFICATION The Minutes of Proceedings which appear in the following book have been established by the Clerk of Parliament and have been amended and confirmed by Parliament in accordance with the provisions of Article 18 of the Standing Orders of Parliament. Hon. Dan A VOCK Lino Bolckuli dit SACSAC Speaker of Parliament Clerk of Parliament PARLIAMENT OF THE PARLEMENT DE LA REPUBLIC OF VANUATU REPUBLIQUE DE VANUATU FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF PARLIAMENT ANDENG, Hon. Amos Member for Ambrym BAHAVUS, Hon. Josiah Member for Malekula BAKON, Hon. Gideon Fred Member for Malekula BANGABITI, Hon. Amos Member for Ambae BANGTOR, Hon. Daniel Aaron Member for Ambry m BOULEKONE, Hon. Vincent Member for Pentecost BUE, Hon. Samson Member for Ambae BULE, Hon. Allen Member for Pentecost CARLOT, Hon. Louis Member for Efate CARLOT, Hon. Maxime Member for Port Vila CHILIA, Hon. Jimmy Meto Member for Efate DICKINSON, Hon. John Hughug Member for Banks/Torres EDGEL, Hon. William Member for Port Vila HAKWA, Hon. Silas Member for Ambae IAUKO, Hon. Henry Member for Tanna JIMMY, Hon. Imbert Member for Santo/Malo JIMMY, Hon. Willie Member for Port Vila KALPOKAS, Hon. Donald Member for Efate KARIE, Hon. Robert David Member for Tongoa/Shepherds KILMAN, Hon. Sato Member for Malekula LANGO, Hon Demis Member for Paama LAVHA, Hon. Jeffrey Member for Tanna LINI, Hon. Hilda Member for Pori Vila LINI, Hon Walter Hadye Member for Pentecost MASENG, Hon. Alfred Member for LuganviUe METMETSAN, Hon. Cyriaque Member for Malekula MOL1SA, Hon. Sela Member for Santo/Malo MORRISON, Hon. Willie John Member for Malekula MUELSUL, Hon. Edouard Member for Pentecost NAFUKI, Hon. Alan Member for Other Southern Islands NAKO, Hon. Charlie Member for Tanna NATAPEI, Hon. Edward Nipake Member for Port Vila NATUMAN, Hon. Joe Member for Tanna NAUNUN, Hon. Ians Member for Tanna NOKAUT, Hon Shem Member for Tanna PASVU Hon. Philip Member for Santo/Malo RAVUTIA, Hon. Albert Member for Santo/Malo SOKSOK, Hon. Vital, Member for Malekula SOLOMON, Hon. John Lee Member for Tongoa/Shepherds n SONG, Hon. Keasipai Member for Tanna SOPE, Hon. Barak Tame Member for Efate TABIVAKA, Hon. Paolo Member for Luganville TAMATA, Hon. James Adin Member for Maewo TARI, Hon. John Molbarav Member for Santo/ Malo TARJBE, Hon. Louis Member for Santo/Malo TELUKLIJK, Hon. Paul B arthem ic Member for Malekula TITEKS, Hon. Jackleen Reuben Member for Port Vila VARASMAITE, Hon. Willie Olli Member for Epi VOHOR, Hon. Serge Rialuth Member for Santo/Malo/Aore WETIN, Hon.Edgel Member for Banks/Torres ill PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF PARLIAMENT THTRD EXTRAORDINARY SESSION MONDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 1996 SPEAKER : Hon. Edward N. NATAPE1, Member for Port Vila PRESENT : ABSENT 1. The Speaker opened the sitting at 8.40 a.m. 2. Hon. Joe NATUMAN, Member for Tanna, said the prayer. 3. The Speaker announced that the extraordinary sitting was in line with the Court Order he had received. He added that the sitting’s agenda included three requests — reinstatement of the two suspended MPs, motion of no confidence and election the new Prime Minister. He explained that as the Court did not make any clear ruling about the reinstatement, he ruled that the required number of signatures to call Parliament was therefore 26 but only 24 signed. 4. The Third Extraordinary Session was closed at 8.45 a.m. 5. The Speaker opened the sitting at 7.05 p.m. 6. Hon. NATUMAN referred to section 16, subsection 1 of the Standing Orders and expressed the opinion that Parliament should first suspend the Standing Order before carrying discussions beyond 7 o’clock. He felt that discussions should take place the next day. 7. The Speaker agreed with this opinion but asked for a motion to be proposed. 8. Hon. Barak SOPE, Member for Efate Rural, opposed the Speaker with the argument that he had violated the Court Order for the sitting. 9. Hon. Willy JIMMY, Member for Port Vila, expressed support for Hon. SOPE’s argument. 10. Hon. Vincent BULEKONE, Member for Pentecost, felt that a state ruled by law should be maintained by respecting the decision of the Court. 11. Hon. Maxime CARLOT KORMAN, Prime Minister, supported the fact that the Standing Order had to be respected. 12. Hon. Walter LIN1, Member for Pentecost, regretted to hear some MPs talk about separate powers as a reason of influencing a court decision. He added that the Government tried to override and weaken the Court decision, which ordered the Speaker to call the sitting. 13. Hon. Sato KILMAN, Member for Malekula, was of the opinion that the sitting should continue in order to abide by the Court decision. 14. The Speaker emphasised that a motion should be proposed in order to legalise the sitting. 15. Hon. JIMMY considered that the Speaker tried to continually go against the decision of the Court. He also asked the Speaker to give an assurance that there would be a sitting the next day at 8.30 a.m. J 6. The Speaker replied in agreement. 17. Hon. Silas HAKWA, Member for Ambae, expressed his confusion and wanted to know whether the sitting was still part of the one closed that morning. 18. The Speaker confirmed that the sitting was part of the one closed that morning. 19. Hon. BULEKONE pointed out that section 161) of the Standing Order only applied to a full day sitting whereas Court had ordered the evening sitting. He supported Hon. JIMMY in arguing against the Speaker for having deliberately ignoring the decision of the Court. 20. The Speaker declared that the sitting be suspended. 21. The sitting was suspended from 7.50 p.m to 8.20 p.m. 22. The Speaker ruled that the House continue its business according to the agenda. 2 MOTION NO.6 REINSTATEMENT OF SUSPENDED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 23. Hon. JIMMY, seconded by Hon. Alan BULE, Member for Pentecost, proposed the motion. 24. Hon. JIMMY read the motion. (Text appended) 25. Hon. BULE declared his support for the motion following the reasons mentioned in its text. 26. Hon. Prime Minister CARLOT KORMAN felt that by reinstating the two MPs who had been suspended legally, the case was contradictory. He put the blame on Hon. SOPE and Hon. BULEKONE for being among the main people who influenced the motion on the suspension of the MPs. He concluded by rejecting the motion. 27. Hon. BULEKONE supported the motion as he had experienced similar discipline for one year but was surprised to note that Hon. Prime MINISTER CARLOT KORMAN accused him of being responsible for the suspension of the two MPs as it had been the decision made by the Council of Ministers. He said that suspension was supposed to involve other MPs also such as the NUP leader, Hon. Walter LINI and UMP President, Hon. Serge VOHOR. 28. Hon. Alfred MASENG, Member for Luganville, was surprised to note that the Council of Minister took a decision, which only involved Parliament authority. He accused the former Government for inventing a political game to reduce the number of Opposition members. 29. Hon. Amos ANDENG, Member for Ambrym, expressed the opinion that it was always a necessity to take measures to restore order. He said that these measures had to be maintained and adhered to so that the bad deed would not be repeated. 30. Hon. SOPE supported that the accusation of Hon. Prime Minister CARLOT KORMAN against him and Hon. BULEKONE was unfounded. He considered that Parliament should discipline liars. 31. Hon. Prime Minister CARLOT KORMAN stated that Hon. SOPE, BULEKONE, HAKWA and himself, had initiated the motion for the suspensions. 32. The motion was carried with 25 votes in favour, 20 against and 2 abstentions. 3 MOTION NO. 7 MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE 33. Hon. JIMMY, mover of the motion presented the motion. (Text appended) 34. Hon. SOPE, seconder of the motion, supported the motion because the Prime Minister did not conduct himself according to Article 66 of the Constitution. He pointed out that despite the motto “Long God Yumi Stanap” giving biblical principles, the Prime Minister led a life involved in adultery, and that this was going out of morality. He emphasised that the Prime Minister ought to have resigned a long time before. He challenged MPs who were Pastors to vote conscientiously. 35. Hon. Prime Minister CARLOT KORMAN, rejecting the motion, emphasised that he would quit his office only through a motion of no confidence. He regretted that Hon. SOPE, who was his brother-in-law, minded his private life as Prime Minister and was afraid that future Prime Ministers would no longer live private lives. He stressed that Hon. SOPE was the main person behind the issuing of letters of credit. He added that electoral disputes only arose form the Electoral Commission. He firmly hoped that the Opposition and its would-be Government would not make similar mistakes mentioned in the motion and that the next Government would complete its term. 36. Hon. ANDENG was the opinion that all leaders should abstain from committing adultery but felt however that people should not be judged by the way they conducted their private lives. 37. Hon. Donald KALPOKAS, Member for Efate, agreed with Prime Minister CARLOT KORMAN’s comments and urged the future Government to work in the interest of the people. He also called on MPs to refrain from using their position merely to serve their personal interests. 38. Hon. Walter LINI, while expressing support for the motion, acknowledged the fact that a motion of no confidence was not easy to accept. He assured the House that the future coalition Government would work for the good of the nation.