Vanuatu Parliament

On Tuesday night parliament voted to suspend the 22 opposition MPs for two sittings, over its boycott of the first sitting last week.

Opposition leader Ralph Regenvanu said the vote by the government members was an outrage.

He said the first sitting had been boycotted many times in the past.

"Boycotting the first sitting of a session is a parliamentary practice in Vanuatu that has been going for 40 years.

The reason given for the suspension was the opposition's boycott of the first session of parliament last week.

The boycott was over the actions of climate change minister Bruno Leingkon.

The opposition said Mr Leingkon came to parliament without isolating himself after entering a hotel where over 100 repatriated Ni-Vanuatu are being quarantined because of Covid-19.

Last week the opposition boycotted the first session of parliament for the year in protest over the actions of climate change minister Bruno Leingkon.

The opposition says Mr Leingkon came to parliament without isolating himself after entering a hotel where over 100 Ni-Vanuatu are quarantined.

The motion was filed by deputy prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau and the minister of public utilities Jay Ngwele, who say the opposition should also pay the cost of convening parliament for the day.

The motion is expected to be debated on Thursday.

The Vanuatu parliament will sit for the first time since the election today, where a new coalition government will be formed.

A massive rebuild lies ahead in the wake of the extensive destruction caused by Cyclone Harold, and the country's tourism-dependent economy has been shattered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Johnny Koanapo, whose Vanua'aku Pati has signed an agreement with the previously opposition Union of Moderates Party, said whichever bloc forms government has a massive task.

According to the Vanuatu Daily Post, the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Seule was guilty of charges relating to an incident involving Fredeline Tanarango in a Hotel Santo room.

Mr Seule was the MP for the Efate outer islands.

Despite the legal clearance, there has been no confirmation yet if he intends or will be able to contest the 2020 general election.

Joe Natuman is one of over 250 applications for candidacy submitted to Vanuatu's Electoral Commission.

Mr Natuman, who was convicted for perverting the course of justice, is approaching the end of his suspended two year sentence.

According to the Vanuatu Daily Post, his sentence is to end shortly before the election date, 19 March.

The Chair of the Electoral Commission, Martin Tete, is seeking advice from the State Law Office as to Mr Natuman's eligibility as a cadndiate.

The former prime minister applied as a candidate under the Vanua'aku Pati banner.

This week also marks the beginning of a period for candidates to register for the election, the first since a constitutional crisis of 2016.

At the stroke of midnight last night, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai achieved the rarest of feats in Vanuatu - he survived a full four-year term in office.

The last to do so was Ham Lini, more than a decade ago.

Mr Salwai formed a coalition in the wake of a snap election called after half the previous government was jailed for corruption.

Parliament's Speaker, Seoule Simeon, has ruled that Gracia Shadrack, MP for Malekula, should lose his seat for missing three consecutive sittings.

The Daily Post reports that Mr Shadrack, an Opposition MP, is to challenge the decision in court.

The Opposition claims that Mr Shadrack had been absent for medical reasons.

It claims that a letter explaining this was provided to parliamentary staff and should have reached the Speaker's office.

The Daily Post reports Opposition leader, Ishmael Kalsakau, called on the Speaker to allow one of his deputies to act on his behalf, pending the outcome of the Speaker's court case.

Seoule Simeon has denied charges including assault and kidnapping. In October, he was ordered to pay $US5000 in damages to a woman in a civil case over an incident in 2016.

The Speaker refused the opposition's request, citing sections of the constitution that say he can maintain his position until proven guilty.

The number of seats for Efate Rural and off-Shore islands constituency has increased from four to five.

The Port Vila Constituency has been reduced by a seat to now an allocation of five seats.

The total number of seats in Parliament remains at 52.

According to official documents, the order commences the day when the term of the 11th Legislature expires.

Photo supplied Caption: Vanuatu Parliament house