5 Apr 2011

Vanuatu National Council of Women says Justice Minister should be sacked

3:03 pm on 5 April 2011

The president of Vanuatu's National Council of Women, Manina Packete, has called on the prime minister, Sato Kilman, to sack his minister of justice after a Supreme Court decision that Ralph Regenvanu was wrong to shut the NGO's offices.

Last Friday the court ordered Mr Regenvanu to return the keys and the cheque books and to remove private security from the Council's premises.

The court also allowed the Council's administrator, Maryanne Bani, to return to her position.

The Council president, Manina Packete, says the court decision shows Mr Regenvanu acted illegally and the prime minister has to discipline him.

She says there's a line between the government and NGOs and ministers must respect it.