22 Mar 2006

Vanuatu opposition to query government bid to block challengers

4:13 pm on 22 March 2006

Vanuatu's opposition says the government should be held accountable for trying to ban MPs from practicing their parliamentary privileges.

The government last week launched a counter motion to discipline opposition MPs who supported the motion of no-confidence against Ham Lini's government.

However, Mr Lini's government yesterday defeated the motion, with the backing of 30 members to the opposition's 20.

Before the vote, the opposition claimed that it had lured a number of government backbenchers to support it.

The advisor to the opposition leader, Kal Moli, says the defeat is still a moral victory for the opposition which labels the counter motion as unconstitutional...

"We are seeking legal advice based on the fact that it looks very apparent that the counter motion was used to deter MPs from supporting the motion that was defeated on the floor yesterday."

Kal Moli