24 Aug 2011

Vanuatu court orders speaker to resume sitting

3:22 pm on 24 August 2011

Vanuatu's supreme court has ordered the speaker of parliament, Maxime Carlot Korman, to go ahead with the sixth extra-ordinary session of parliament today.

Last Friday, Mr Carlot Korman closed the session after less than ten minutes, claiming that government bills weren't properly prepared and parliament couldn't debate them.

Under the parliament standing, bills have to be deposited in the speaker's office seven days before they can be debated.

The Prime Minister Sato Kilman challenged the speaker's ruling in court, saying the bills were already submitted to the speaker during the previous extra-ordinary session.

Last night, the court declared that Mr Carlot Korman's ruling last week was unconstitutional therefore parliament has to meet today.

Among the bills is a supplementary budget.