A chance to start anew

Economy

By Patrick Decloitre

Amid civil unrest, Vanuatu will go to fresh elections on March 6. The date was confirmed early January by the Court of Appeal, which gave right to an earlier dissolution of a corruption tainted parliament by President Jean- Marie Leye.

The people of Vanuatu, who seem tired of a spell of corruption and instabil ity, will have the opportunity to choose new leaders.

On January 9, Vanuatu’s Court of Appeal gave its seal of approval to a par liament dissolution pronounced by President Jean-Marie Leye last November 27, thus paving the way for fresh polls in the island state.

The court’s presiding judge, New Zealander Bruce Robertson, said in the verdict that in the court’s view, it had not been established that the presidential dis solution was improper. Leye’s dissolution was challenged last December by 33 MPs who argued their constitutional right to have a no confidence motion against Prime Minister Serge Vohor debated before parliament was dissolved had been infringed.

The appeal bench, consisting of three judges from New Zealand, Australia and the Solomon Islands, found when dissolv ing parliament in a nationwide radio address last November 27, Leye, although he once said he received an “order” from Vohor’s council of ministers, genuinely called for fresh elections in order to get Vanuatu out of a political deadlock and a two-year spell of instability.

It could not be established whether the president’s decision, in exercising his “wide and unfetted” discretion, was irra tional, Robertson said. He ruled the disso lution, which was “lawful, proper and constitutional”, to take place on January 9 and gave Leye seven days to pronounce a new date for fresh elections.

“The acting chief justice seems to have placed the opportunity for MPs to debate

their motion of no confidence as a higher priority to the right of the people to have new elections”, Robertson said in court on

the first day of hearings.

Former finance minister Willie Jimmy, who is one of the MPs backing the motion

against Vohor, said outside the small court house this was now “the end of the road”.

“The ruling is final, but it now leaves a

precedent

where the majority rule is at stake”, he said, adding he had no other choice but to accept the appeal rul ing and the fresh elec tions, but was not sure all the

parties were

ready for the poll.

Attorney General Ham Bulu, whose services defended the president, said he was not surprised at the ruling.

“From the beginning, I had no ques tion about this being the proper course of action”.

“In these cir cumstances, it was not even necessary for

the president

to appear in court. After all, he’s the head of state”, Bulu said. Three days later, a riot broke out in Port Vila.

Justice Minister and father of indepen dence, Walter Lini, accused some 10 MPs of having stirred up the unrest. ■

Top: Vanuatu PM Serge Vohor

Bottom: Vanuatu President Jean-Marie Leye