A troubled government

Vanuatu

By Martin Tiffany

SITTING under a make-shift tarpaulin tent in Port Vila in late October eating rice and chicken on a roughly con structed table, the political situation in Vanuatu was made clearer. Chatting with the locals about politics and poli ticians, one suddenly kicked my leg murmured to the others in Bislama and the topic was changed to the boxing match that weekend. There was some body at the next table they were unsure of.

Such is the uncertainty, divisions and suspicions in Vanuatu politics and to some extent in the country at the moment.

In recent months Vanuatu’s coalition government led by Prime Minister Maxime Carlot Korman and his Union of Moderate Parties group has seen dramatic changes and events that has threatened its stability and brought about calls for early elections.

One of the most recent events was Finance Minister Willie Jimmy handing in his resignation letter to Korman in early November because of interference by the prime minister in his ministry. Jimmy was referring to his move to sack six officers from his ministry which was stopped by Korman. Government sources in Port Vila said Korman and his council of ministers turned down Jimmy’s request to resign and

become a government backbencher. PIM understands that the six people have now been sacked. This has angered the Vanuatu Public Servants Association. The VPSA was to hold a general meeting mid-last month and there is talk of them going on strike.

In August Korman survived a split in his junior coalition partner the National United Party (NUP), led by former prime minister Walter Lini. On August 23 Lini, who was leader of government business, took five NUP colleagues off government seats to form what he describes as “an independent opposition”. Lini is now calling for Korman to step down as prime minister and be replaced by speaker Alfred Masseng. Lini accuses the prime minister of making a mess of government finances and of the government in general. One issue Lini feels strongly about is the decision by the council of ministers to pay the 18 members of parliament for the whole term

of parliament although they were disquali

fied from their seats in 1989. Speaking to PIM Lini said; “Why pay them for the time they were not in parliament. In my view it is still a very real problem that has to be solved. It could bring the government down now that it has become public.”

Making things public in Vanuatu is a very big problem. The government controls the media and does not allow opposition or Lini statements broadcast on Radio Vanuatu , the only national broadcaster. One Radio

Vanuatu journalist has been threatened with the boot for releasing a statement critical of government handling of copra price stabil isation to another news organisation.

Copra prices have become a sore and sticky issue for the Korman government.

Campaign promises by Korman’s Union of

Moderate Parties that copra prices would double under a UMP-led government have fallen on their face. Government has been struggling to maintain the existing guaran teed price. There were demonstrations and anti-government slogans on the island of Santo after some growers could not be paid as price support funds had run out.

The division in the Korman coalition government is obvious. No sooner was he out the country recently when inter party rivals Jimmy and Serge Vohor made a deal whereby Lini and his five NUP supporters would rejoin the government. But Korman returned and intervened and signed anew memorandum of understanding with the

Sethy Regenvanu NUP faction.

Regenvanu leads a four member NUP faction who remained with government when Lini left.

The Korman government is far from stable as coalition and individual unhappi ness continues to arise. Financial problems and allegations of corruption continue to dog the government. They control the media giving rise to rumours, suspicion and distrust.

Somethings got to give. □