Call for Vanuatu constitutional change to combat corruption

Transcript

A former Vanuatu president, George Sokomanu, says the constitution should be changed to accommodate the problems arising from alleged corruption involving parliamentarians.

His comments come as the president, Father Baldwin Lonsdale, held a public address to mark the day of the signing of the constitution in 1980.

Father Lonsdale also referred to corruption cases and Mr Sokomanu told Hilaire Bule that he agreed with the President's words.

GEORGE SOKOMANU: After 30 years a lot of changes have taken place, especially in the work of parliament and especially what happened recently to our members of parliament who are taken before the court and I think the president was right in saying no-one is above the law because if you do wrong - and I said this is required in the constitution - you should face the consequences. That's one part that we allowed in the constitution. I congratulated the president for saying that because there is a need now for the people of Vanuatu to say what they want in future and if they want a referendum, so be it. They can talk about it and later decide, next year is our election again and we need to get new blood into parliament because of what we are seeing now there is talk about corruption and we witness what happened with this present court and I feel that it's time for us to make some changes in the constitution to stop some areas where things are not working properly for the country and especially within the parliament.

HILAIRE BULE: President of the Republic also, members of parliament, leaders of the community, to take time to study, to reflect on the constitution, to teach young people about Vanuatu's constitution.

GS: This is something very, very important, how far, our members of parliament and the community at large, know about the constitution itself. It is important that we should talk about it, let our people know what is in the constitution. Recently we've allowed dual citizenship and all of these things that are also talked about in the constitution, enshrined in the constitution.