Transcript
JAMES BATLEY: The judgment reinforces the verdicts and sentences that were brought down last year. It underlines again the strength of the judicial system in Vanuatu and sends an equally strong message about the importance of the rule of law so clearly it's another very significant judgment.
JO O'BRIEN: This is obviously a highly political case involving MPs. Is it a surprise that the judiciary has made these rulings in that regard?
JB: In some respects it certainly seems to have been an unprecedented outcome to have almost a third of Vanuatu's parliament found guilty and indeed jailed. It's not only unprecedented in Vanuatu and in the Pacific, but it could well be unprecedented around the world. And I think in the past there hasn't been a strong record of politicians being tried and found guilty for the sorts of crimes that were involved in last year's events. On the other hand I think it has to be said that there's always been a strong tradition in Vanuatu of the courts playing a strong and independent role. Often in political crises, political players and political parties have had resort to Vanuatu's courts, so it's certainly not unusual to see the courts playing that role in the resolution of political crises. But certainly in terms of the signal that it sends and the precedent it sets for finding politicians guilty of serious charges it's very significant in terms of Vanuatu's history and that of our region.
JO: But what does this say about the political system in Vanuatu when we've had a large number of MPs found guilty of bribery and now guilty of conspiring to defeat the course of justice?
JB: Maybe the system got a lucky break. I don't think this necessarily means that politics is a lot more corrupt than it was in the past. It's possible to draw that conclusion but to be honest the evidence isn't really in on that. But certainly in terms of the message that it sends it's a welcome and healthy development.
JO: Where to from here for the political system. What lessons can be learnt from it?
JB: At the last election there was an almost two-thirds turnover of members of Parliament in Vanuatu. So clearly the people of Vanuatu themselves sent a very strong signal that they wanted to see a new beginning, much cleaner and more accountable government. The Vanuatu government that's in place now is still very much benefiting from that sense of a mood of change. They are moving to change the constitution to strengthen some of the accountability systems, to strengthen the role of parties. Where those attempts go it is a bit hard to say. There's an unfortunate history I think in the Pacific of political reforms having unintended consequences. One of the lessons of last year's events is that even though it might look tumultuous from the outside, there is a certain level of underlying stability and resilience in Vanuatu's constitutional set-up. So I think it would be very important for those who are promoting reform in Vanuatu to think those reforms through very carefully and to really think ahead about what any unintended consequences might be.
JO: Legally is this likely to be an end to the whole saga or could we see further challenges?
JB: It wouldn't surprise me at all to see appeals, further appeals coming out of this. That would be entirely characteristic with the way that political figures behave in Vanuatu.
