5 Dec 2018

Vanuatu minister says no confidence motion grounds were too light

3:19 pm on 5 December 2018

A senior government minister in Vanuatu says the grounds for a defeated motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Charlot Salwai were too light and the Opposition will need to bring more to the table if it wants to succeed.

Charlot Salwai

Charlot Salwai Photo: Dan McGarry/ Vanuatu Post

Bob Loughman spoke after the motion was defeated 31 votes to 19 in parliament on Tuesday.

A special session was called for the motion to be debated.

The Daily Post newspaper said one by one MPs from the government side of the house who signed the motion, indicated they still backed the government.

Mr Loughman said the 16 grounds for the motion were clearly not enough.

The Leader of the Opposition Ishmael Kalsakau has warned he is going to pursue the matter in court and he has alleged that bribes took place.

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