2 Aug 2007

Vanuatu UMP leader determined to get back into government

3:55 pm on 2 August 2007

The leader of Vanuatu's Union of Moderate Parties says he's determined to get back into government.

The UMP's seven MP's were dismissed from the coalition government this week in a major reshuffle by the Prime Minister Ham Lini.

The UMP and its leader Serge Vohor joined the government two months ago as part of Mr Lini's effort to defeat a motion of no-confidence against him which Mr Vohor himself had tabled.

Mr Vohor, who was the prime minister in 2004, says he doesn't know the exact reason for his dismissal from the coalition.

"Our partners in government, they know that if we're in government until next year then we'll win all the seats in the country. This is only one of the reasons why they don't want us in government - because we are too strong. Our objective is to make sure we go back to government... at any cost."

Serge Vohor says there are serious issues of poverty and lack of development in Vanuatu's rural areas which need addressing but the government is ignoring.