Independents offer a fresh new face to Vanuatu politics

Dev Nadkarni
Though Vanuatu has had a history of unstable governments with falling coalitions following Opposition parties calling for no confidence motions at regular intervals, the last coalition government headed by Prime Minister Ham Lini brought in a semblance of stability over the past four years despite facing several no confidence motions that have become a regular feature of Vanuatu politics.
However, there are already fears that the old climate of instability may be back again.
After three long weeks of intense lobbying following last month’s election, Edward Natapei of the Vanua’aku Pati was elected Prime Minister on September 22.
But the leader of the rival Vanuatu Republican Party, Maxime Carlot Korman, tabled a vote of no confidence motion against the two-day old government alleging that some of his members were lured away by the Natapei-led party.
At press time, the no confidence motion was dismissed on the basis of a technicality that had to do with the provisions of the standing order stipulating a certain minimum quantum of members required for such a motion to be considered by the House.
If anything, this only portends the shape of things to come for the new Natapei Government and the Speaker of the House, George Wells, who was elected unanimously, will undoubtedly have a responsible role to play.
Former Prime Minister Lini of the National United Party has taken on the role of deputy Prime Minister in the coalition that also includes a number of independents.
This election saw a record number of candidates throw in their hats in the ring—a large number of them happened to be independents.
One of them, Ralph Regenvanu, won his seat in Port Vila with the highest ever margin. Regenvanu, who represents a new breed of young, articulate politicians fought on a platform for changing the old order by not aligning with any of the existing parties.
ISLANDS BUSINESS met up with Regenvanu in Port Vila about a month before the elections.
While confidently predicting his own victory, he was hoping to bring together other like-minded independents under a common umbrella to offer a fresh new face to Vanuatu politics.
That has obviously not happened, though a few days after the results were declared Regenvanu told ISLANDS BUSINESS via phone that he was planning to join forces with Korman’s Vanuatu Republican Party along with other independents.
Regenvanu said there was much that was wrong in Vanuatu politics and a lot of that stemmed from the level of ignorance of many of the lawmakers as well as the people at large.
He pointed at the recent raids by the Australian Police Force as an example of this and said the country’s foreign investment policies needed to change to favour ni-Vanuatu more than overseas investors.
“Our people are benefitting very little,” he said.
Regenvanu said he hoped that voters would vote based on issues that affected the country and not those that concerned their immediate communities alone.
The country still has a comparatively higher illiteracy rate with no free schoolling even at the primary level and no efficient healthcare systems.
Also, basic services when existent tend to be too expensive in comparison with peoples' earning levels.
One overseas observer said there were some welcome changes seen in Vanuatu in the run-up to the elections this time around: the newer independents and smaller parties were better organised and had actually published and distributed vision statements and manifestos. Regenvanu himself had a fairly informative website.
The new young independents have clearly found favour among the country’s small, educated elite population particularly in Port Vila.
Many young professionals ISLANDS BUSINESS spoke to showed support for Regenvanu and the independents—a fact borne out by his thumping election victory.
Their approachability, vibrant persona and eloquence when compared to the aging old school politicians has been covered extensively by the local media and welcomed in most quarters.
But as many political observers said, this was a very urban phenomenon restricted mainly to Port Vila. Regenvanu agreed with this view.
That perhaps is indeed the reason why the independents and the younger set of candidates are yet to be a force to be reckoned with.
But their success in the latest election clearly shows that things may well be changing and they may be able to make a difference in the country’s political landscape in forthcoming elections.