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The Cabinet of Vanuatu (formally the Council of Ministers of Vanuatu) is the cabinet (executive branch) of the government of the Republic of Vanuatu.
The Constitution of Vanuatu (Art. 39(1)) specifies that "[t]he executive power of the people of the Republic of Vanuatu is vested in the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers". The number of Ministers must not "exceed a quarter of the number of members of Parliament" (Art. 40(2)). The Prime Minister, who is directly elected by Parliament, appoints other Ministers from among the members of Parliament (Art. 42(1)). The Council is "collectively responsible to Parliament" (Art. 43(1)).[1]
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On 26 June 2011, Sato Kilman was elected Prime Minister by Parliament, with twenty-nine votes to Serge Vohor's twenty-three, thus beginning his first lawfully recognised term as Prime Minister. He reinstated his previous Cabinet.[2]
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Sato Kilman | People's Progress Party | Malekula |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industries and Tourism |
Ham Lini | National United Party | Pentecost |
| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Quarantine and Fisheries | James Nwango | People's Progress Party | Ambae |
| Minister of Cooperatives and Ni-Vanuatu Business Development | Don Ken | Independent | Malekula |
| Minister of Education | Marcellino Pipite | Republican Party | Santo |
| Minister of Finance and Economic Management | Moana Carcasses Kalosil | Green | Port Vila |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade | Alfred Carlot | Republican Party | Efate Rural |
| Minister of Health | Willie Ruben Abel | Vanua'aku Pati | Shepherds |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities | Harry Iauko | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | George Wells | National United Party | Santo |
| Minister of Justice and Social Affairs | Ralph Regenvanu | Land and Justice Party | Port Vila |
| Minister of Lands and Natural Resources | Stephen Kalsakau | Union of Moderate Parties | Efate |
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Morkin Stevens | National United Party | Tanna |
This Cabinet resulted initially from the September 2008 general election.[3] The following month, the Council was reshuffled to offer positions to the Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), which joined the ruling coalition.[4] In June 2009, the election to Parliament of Bakoa Kaltongga (the Minister for Foreign Affairs) was invalidated by the Supreme Court, leading to his dismissal from the Council of Ministers. On that occasion, Prime Minister Edward Natapei reshuffled his Cabinet again.[5][6] In December 2009, a new reshuffle[7] produced the following Cabinet:[8][9]
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister Minister of Public Service |
Edward Natapei | Vanua'aku Pati | Port Vila |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Trades, Commerce and Industry |
Sato Kilman | People's Progress Party | Malekula |
| Minister of Justice and Women’s Affairs | Bakoa Kaltonga | Vanua'aku Pati | Efate |
| Minister of Finance and Economic Management | Sela Molisa | Vanua'aku Pati | Santo |
| Minister of Lands and Natural Resources | Paul Telukluk | Namangi Aute | Malekula |
| Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Labour |
Moana Carcasses Kalosil | Green | Port Vila |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities | Serge Vohor | Union of Moderate Parties | Santo |
| Minister of Education | Charlot Salwai | Union of Moderate Parties | Pentecost |
| Minister of Health | Moses Kahu | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Telecommunications | Joe Natuman | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Agriculture | Steven Kalsakau | Union of Moderate Parties | Efate |
| Minister of Ni-Vanuatu Business | Dunstan Hilton | People's Progress Party | Banks & Torres |
| Minister of Sports and Youth Development | Raphael Worwor | Union of Moderate Parties | Ambrym |
On 2 December 2010, Edward Natapei's government was ousted in a vote of no confidence, and Parliament elected Sato Kilman to replace him.[10] Kilman's initial appointments to his Cabinet are given below.[11][12]
A few days later, a reshuffle took place when members of the Union of Moderate Parties accepted positions in Cabinet in exchange for withdrawing their support from an immediate motion of no confidence in the new government. Charlot Salwai, vice-President of the UMP, replaced Yoan Simon as Minister for Education; and Serge Vohor, President of the UMP, replaced Harry Iauko as Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities. Simon became Minister for Justice, replacing Alfred Carlot, who lost his seat in Cabinet, while Iauko became Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, replacing Paul Telukluk (the only Namangi Aute MP), who was also removed from Cabinet.[13]
On 10 February 2011, Vohor and Salwai both resigned, along with Minister for Agriculture Marcellino Pipite, of the Republican Party; all three wished to protest over their respective parties having fewer seats in Cabinet then they had asked for. (The Republican Party had lost one when Carlot was removed in the reshuffle.) Following Vohor and Salwai's resignation from the government, the UMP announced it was joining the opposition once again, supporting Edward Natapei in his bid to reclaim the premiership by ousting Kilman in a new motion of "no confidence".[14]
On 18 February, there was another reshuffle, to consolidate the government's majority prior to an expected vote on a motion of confidence in Parliament. Backbencher Esmon Sae was appointed Minister for ni-Vanuatu business, replacing Ralph Regenvanu, who became instead Minister for Lands. Backbencher James Wango was appointed Minister for Agriculture, while Marcellino Pipite, who had rejoined the government, was appointed Minister for Education.[15]
On 10 March, Kilman sacked Justice Minister Yoan Simon, who had "reportedly backed the opposition’s plans for a motion of no confidence". To shore up the coalition, the Republican Party was invited to join the government once more. The Republican Party demanded the Lands Ministry, which Kilman consequently offered to Alfred Carlot. This meant reshuffling Lands Minister Ralph Regenvanu to the Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs.[16][17][18]
Initial Kilman Cabinet
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Sato Kilman | People's Progress Party | Malekula |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industries and Tourism |
Ham Lini | National United Party | Pentecost |
| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Quarantine and Fisheries | Marcellino Pipite | Republican Party | Santo |
| Minister of Cooperatives and Ni-Vanuatu Business Development | Ralph Regenvanu | Land and Justice Party | Port Vila |
| Minister of Education | Yoanne Simon | Vanua'aku Pati | Epi |
| Minister of Finance and Economic Management | Moana Carcasses Kalosil | Green | Port Vila |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade | George Wells | National United Party | Luganville |
| Minister of Health | Ton Ken | Independent | Malekula |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities | Harry Iauko | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | Dunstan Hilton | People's Progress Party | Banks/Torres |
| Minister of Justice | Alfred Carlot | Republican Party | Efate |
| Minister of Lands and Natural Resources | Paul Telukluk | Namangi Aute | Malekula |
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Morkin Stevens | National United Party | Tanna |
Cabinet after final reshuffle (March 2011)
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Sato Kilman | People's Progress Party | Malekula |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industries and Tourism |
Ham Lini | National United Party | Pentecost |
| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Quarantine and Fisheries | James Wango | People's Progress Party | Ambae |
| Minister of Cooperatives and Ni-Vanuatu Business Development | Esmon Sae | Melanesian Progressive Party | Malekula |
| Minister of Education | Marcellino Pipite | Republican Party | Santo |
| Minister of Finance and Economic Management | Moana Carcasses Kalosil | Green | Port Vila |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade | George Wells | National United Party | Luganville |
| Minister of Health | Ton Ken | Independent | Malekula |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities | Harry Iauko | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | Dunstan Hilton | People's Progress Party | Banks/Torres |
| Minister of Justice and Social Affairs | Ralph Regenvanu | Land and Justice Party | Port Vila |
| Minister of Lands and Natural Resources | Alfred Carlot | Republican Party | Efate |
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Morkin Stevens | National United Party | Tanna |
On 24 April 2011 (Easter Sunday), Parliament ousted Prime Minister Sato Kilman by twenty-six votes to twenty-five in a motion of no confidence. The Opposition had not formally proposed a candidate to replace him, and Parliament elected Serge Vohor (Union of Moderate Parties) as new Prime Minister. It was Vohor's fourth accession to the premiership.[19] He quickly named his new Cabinet (detailed below). Other than Vohor himself, it included only one minister from the Union of Moderate Parties (Charlot Salwai, who was given the Education portfolio), whereas the Vanua'aku Pati received four ministries. Eta Rory, the only woman in Parliament, was appointed Minister for Agriculture.[20][21]
However, Serge Vohor's election as Prime Minister, and therefore both his term in office and the tenure of his Cabinet, was voided by the Court of Appeal on 13 May. The Court deemed that his election was unconstitutional as he had only received votes from one-half of the members of Parliament (26 out of 52), rather than by an absolute majority.[22]
Members of the 2011 Vohor Cabinet
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Serge Vohor | Union of Moderate Parties | Santo |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Joshua Kalsakau | Labour Party | Efate |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Joe Natuman | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister for Trade | Sela Molisa | Vanua'aku Pati | Santo |
| Minister for Agriculture | Eta Rory | Family First Party | Malekula |
| Minister for Finance | Bakoa Kaltongga | Vanua'aku Pati | Efate |
| Minister for Health | Willie Reuben Abel | Vanua'aku Pati | Tongoa |
| Minister for Lands | Dominique Morin | Republican Party | Luganville |
| Minister for Internal Affairs | Patrick Crowby | National United Party | Port Vila |
| Minister for Education | Charlot Salwai | Union of Moderate Parties | Pentecost |
| Minister for Justice | Ioan Simon | Labour Party | Epi |
| Minister for Ni-Vanuatu Business | Paul Telukluk | Namangi Aute | Malekula |
| Minister for Sports | Thomas Isom | National United Party | Banks/Torres |
Following the voiding of Serge Vohor's brief premiership by the Court of Appeal on 13 May, the premiership reverted to its previous holder: Sato Kilman. Ralph Regenvanu stated that the ousted Kilman Cabinet was thereby fully restored: "Sato and his ministers remain the cabinet of Vanuatu and have always been. [...] [W]e have now taken back our offices."[22] Kilman's restored government, however, was supported only by twenty-four Members of Parliament, while Vohor was believed to have the support of twenty-seven, leaving Kilman's coalition in a precarious position.[23]
Over the following days, the government's side was somewhat strengthened as two members of Parliament defected from the Opposition, and were given Cabinet portfolios. Stephen Kalsakau switched sides a day after the Kilman government was restored, and was appointed Minister for Lands. On 17 May, Willie Reuben Abel joined the government as Minister for Health, replacing Don Ken, who was reshuffled to the ministry of ni-Vanuatu affairs.[24][25] This 17 May Cabinet lasted until the Kilman premiership was voided the following month.
On 20 May, the government weathered a motion of no confidence, emerging with the support of 27 MPs - a majority of one. Kilman noted the potential for more instability if floor-crossing were to occur, adding that in that case, "we cannot have instability for the next twelve months, [so] it w[ould] be in the interest of the country to go back to elections, as soon as possible".[26]
Kilman's term was also voided by a ruling from Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek on 16 June, finding that Kilman's election in December 2010 had not been in conformity with the requirements for a secret parliamentary ballot set out in Article 41 of the Constitution. Natapei was restored with instructions from the court to convene Parliament for the election of a Prime Minister.[27][28]
Cabinet following reshuffle on 17 May 2011
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Sato Kilman | People's Progress Party | Malekula |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industries and Tourism |
Ham Lini | National United Party | Pentecost |
| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Quarantine and Fisheries | James Nwango | People's Progress Party | Ambae |
| Minister of Cooperatives and Ni-Vanuatu Business Development | Don Ken | Independent | Malekula |
| Minister of Education | Marcellino Pipite | Republican Party | Santo |
| Minister of Finance and Economic Management | Moana Carcasses Kalosil | Green | Port Vila |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade | Alfred Carlot | Republican Party | Efate Rural |
| Minister of Health | Willie Ruben Abel | Vanua'aku Pati | Sheperds |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities | Harry Iauko | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | George Wells | National United Party | Santo |
| Minister of Justice and Social Affairs | Ralph Regenvanu | Land and Justice Party | Port Vila |
| Minister of Lands and Natural Resources | Stephen Kalsakau | Union of Moderate Parties | Efate |
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Morkin Stevens | National United Party | Tanna |
With Sato Kilman's premiership having been declared null and void on 16 June 2011, Vanuatu briefly had an interim Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, tasked simply with convening Parliament for the election of a new Prime Minister.[27][29] Radio Australia noted that Natapei's "former ministers have become interim ministers until a new prime minister is elected".[30] Ironically, this included Sato Kilman as Deputy Prime Minister. See "Natapei Cabinet (2008-2010)", above.
During his interim, Natapei notably ordered all those who had served as ministers under Kilman to refund their salaries, on the grounds that they had not lawfully held office.[31]
On 20 June, Natapei reshuffled this caretaker Cabinet, producing the following:[32]
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister Minister of Public Service |
Edward Natapei | Vanua'aku Pati | Port Vila |
| Minister of Justice and Women’s Affairs | Bakoa Kaltonga | Vanua'aku Pati | Efate |
| Minister of Finance and Economic Management | Sela Molisa | Vanua'aku Pati | Santo |
| Minister of Lands and Natural Resources | Dominique Morin | Republican Party | Luganville |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | Patrick Crowby | National United Party | Port Vila |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities | Joshua Kalsakau | Labour Party | Efate |
| Minister of Education | Charlot Salwai | Union of Moderate Parties | Pentecost |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Joe Natuman | Vanua'aku Pati | Tanna |
| Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | Samson Samsen | Republican Party | Santo |
| Minister of Ni-Vanuatu Business | Paul Telukluk | Namangi Aute | Malekula |
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Eta Rory | Family First Party | Malekula |
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