Decades of political instability in Vanuatu culminated in crisis last year. 14 members of parliament ended up in prison for accepting bribes for their votes to oust a prime minister. Late last year, a snap election swept a new generation of leaders into parliament and, as we hear from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute, they're focused on constitutional reforms to improve stability.
The new legislative session started off as same old, same old in Port Vila. As President Baldwin Lonsdale welcomed the new parliament with an impassioned call for a new chart for Vanuatu's destiny, Radio Vanuatu's signal flickered and died. The electric company turned off the power because of unpaid bills, the state broadcaster fired up a diesel generator to get back in the air, but it then ran out of fuel. The new chairman blamed the old chairman; eventually, power was restored.
And, despite some procedural hiccups, parliament got down to work. Prime Minister Charlot Salwai proposed 25 constitutional reforms including limits on the motions of no confidence that have toppled so many governments in the past. Another major change would create reserved seats in parliament for women. When opposition leader Ishmael Kalsaku objected that Traditional Chiefs and churches needed to be in on the debate, the government agreed to create a constitutional review committee, to include members from each party in parliament, representatives from Christian, women, youth, business and disability groups, trade unions and the National Council of Chiefs. Each will present a report and recommendations to parliament by August 31st, members will debate and vote, and if reforms are approved, the measure would then go to a national referendum.
