13 Dec 2004

Vanuatu's new Government names its line up

4:48 pm on 13 December 2004

The new Vanuatu prime minister, Ham Lini, has named his Deputy, Sato Kilman, as Foreign Minister, with Moana Carcasses to serve as Finance Minister, as he did under the just ousted Serge Vohor-led administration.

Mr Vohor was voted out of office on Friday night after the Court of Appeal rejected his attempts to have a vote of no confidence declared unconstitutional.

Barak Sope, who was demoted from Foreign Minister in the previous Government, will be Agriculture Minister, while Edward Natapei, who was Prime Minister up to the last election, has turned down a Cabinet role.

Mr Natapei, according to a government official, wants to give other members of his Vanuaaku Pati Cabinet experience.

Mr Lini, Mr Sope and Mr Carcasses were three of five Ministers who helped bring Mr Vohor down by joining the Opposition two weeks ago.

They were angry with his Mr Vohor's support for Taipei which went against the coalition government's one China policy.

The new government has re-affirmed its support for Beijing and Taiwanese government officials have been asked to start leaving the country from today.