The new Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu is President of the Vanua’aku Pati, MP Bob Loughman.
The new state ministers appointed under his leadership yesterday evening are as follows: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs is Port Vila MP Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau; Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity is Tongoa MP Willie Daniel; the Minister for Finance is Tanna MP Johnny Koanapo Rasou; the Minister for Health is Pentecost MP Silas Bule; the Minister for Climate Change Meteorology and Geohazards remains with Ambrym MP Bruno Lengkon; Minister for Lands is Efate Rural MP Jack Norris Kalmet; Minister for Youth and Sports Development is the Shepherds MP Willie Pakoa Saatearoto; Minister for Justice and Community Services is Malekula MP Esmon Saimon; Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade is Luganville MP Marc Ati; Minister for Education is Epi MP Simeon Davidson Seoule; and Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities is Ambae MP Jay Ngwele.
Loughman succeeds outgoing Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, who served a full four-year term. The election of the new Prime Minister took place yesterday afternoon during the first sitting of the new 12th Legislature of the Republic of Vanuatu. All 52 MPs in the new Legislature were present during the first sitting yesterday.
Prime minister Loughman was first elected to parliament in 2004, reelected into parliament since then and again in the recent March 19, 2020 general election.
He has held ministerial portfolios, including the Minister for Education and was the Deputy Prime Minister in the Salwai-led government for a while before Vanua’aku Pati was ousted from the government and joined the Opposition bloc in the 11th Legislature.
He was nominated for the position of the Prime Minister by Port Vila UMP MP and former Leader of Opposition, Ishmael Kalsakau. His rival, Port Vila MP and president of the Graon mo Jastis Pati, was nominated by former PM Salwai.
In a secret ballot vote by the 52 MPs yesterday afternoon, MP Bob Loughman received 31 votes to become the new Prime Minister of Vanuatu. MP Ralph Regenvanu received 21 votes.
There were two political grouping when parliament convened yesterday morning. One group saw the Vanua’aku Pati (VP), the Union of the Moderate Parties (UMP), the National United Party (NUP), the Nagriamel political movement, the Green Confederation Party, and other MPs that made up a total of 30 MPs on one side of the chambers.
The other political grouping was made up of the Graon Mo Jastis Pati (GJP) that commands a total of 9 MPs in the new 12th Legislature, together with the Reunification of Movement for Change (RMC), the Leaders Party of Vanuatu (LPV), the Vanuatu Liberal Movement (VLM), and other political groups that make up 22 MPs.
The newly elected PM said he will make his first official address to the people and the nation of Vanuatu on Wednesday this week.
Source: Daily Post