The newly-elected Member of Parliament for Tanna and leader of the Vanua’aku Party, Bob Loughman is the new Prime Minister of Vanuatu.
Loughman was elected in a secret ballot by 31 of the 52 members of the new Parliament today.
After his election as Prime Minister, Loughman went on to appoint 12 members of his Cabinet.
They are: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Alatoi Ismael Kalsakau;
Johnny Konapo, Minister for Finance and Economic Management; Willie Daniel Kalo, Minister for Agriculture Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries & Biosecurity,
Silas Bule, Minister of Health;
Bruno Lengkon, Minister of Climate Change Geohazards & Meteorology;
Jack Kalmet Norris, Minister of Lands, Mines and Natural Resources; Esmon Simon, Minister of Justice and Community Services;
Marc Ati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trades;
James Bule Minister of Trade and Tourism;
Simeon Seule Davidson, Minister of Education & Training;
Jay Ngwele, Minister of Infrastructure & Public Utilities and Willie Pakoa Saeteroto Minister of Youth Development and Sport.
Earlier, the first sitting of the new MPs voted in the new Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Vanuatu.
He is MP for Malekula, Gracia Shadrack.
Following which the First, Second, Third and Fourth Deputy Speakers were also elected and they are respectively: Samson Samsen, MP for Santo; Molu Edward Nalyal MP for Tafea outer islands; Asan Sanick, MP for Malekula; and Nako Natuman MP for Tanna constituency.
After the official declaration of the names of the elected representatives of the constituencies, two groups of MPs jostled for numbers to form government right up to Sunday night, with both groups claiming sufficient numbers on their sides.
One was made up of the remaining members of the Caretaker government of Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, Graon mo Justice Party, Leaders Party Vanuatu and their Independent supporters and the other by Vanua’aku Pati, Union of Moderates Party, Iauko Group and their Independents supporters.
Each of them had claimed some 27 MPs right up to the weekend when the National United Party (NUP) moved from the caretaker government camp to the VP UMP led camp.
Speaking after his election, Prime Minister Loughman thanked all the MPs who voted for him and those in the parties in the coalition that have supported him, for their confidence in him.
The new Prime Minister congratulated the new Speaker and the Deputy Speakers in their elections and all the members of parliament for their successes from the March 19 election.
This first sitting of the 12th Legislature was held also to swear-in the 52 new MPs, who took their Oath of Member of Parliament administered by Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek, and the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers and the Prime Minister whose Oaths of Office and Oaths of Allegiance were administered by the Attorney General Kiel Loughman. Also, at the sitting the new MPs signed the Roll of Members of Parliament.
Photo supplied Caption: Prime Minister Bob Loughman and the Ministers inside Parliament House