21 Jun 2004

Vanuatu Chairman of Chiefs threatens dismissal over political move

2:04 pm on 21 June 2004

The chairman of Vanuatu's National Council of Chiefs is standing by his threat to dismiss the Port Vila Chiefs Council for putting up candidates in next month's snap election without his permission.

Chief Paul Tahi says this will be considered at the national council's next meeting.

The chairman of the Vila Council, chief Jean Marie Leye, who is a former president of Vanuatu, says the chiefs have a right to be involved in politics.

But, Chief Tahi says it's important that they stay out of that level of politics...

"It is clear that we choose the right people to lead our country but we should stay away (from) involving the politics to our nakamals. We invite them to our nakamals, and we can choose them but we should not call to play in what we call the nasara of the politics."

The chairman of Vanuatu's National Council of Chiefs, Chief Paul Tahi