Pacific

Vanuatu leader says deserting MPs already want back

19:28 pm on 18 February 2014

The Vanuatu prime minister Moana Carcasses says he is confident he can defeat a motion of no confidence due to be heard next Tuesday.

Yesterday three cabinet ministers resigned and joined the opposition with eight government back benchers, giving them 27 signatures on a motion deposited with the speaker of parliament, Philip Boedoro.

It is the second motion against Mr Carcasses and he says he will defeat it because some of the defecting MPs already want back into his government.

"A fair group of mine, 11 MPs, have signed a motion on the other side, but this morning I have already four that are speaking to us to come back. They realise they have made a mistake. They were lured by the others, so we are working on it. I am quite confident of winning that motion."