The Vanuatu prime minister, Moana Carcasses, has sacked the minister for trade and tourism, Marcellino Pipite, for allegedly siding with the opposition.
The Daily Post newspaper reports Mr Pipite was sacked last Thursday while he was out of the country.
The paper says he signed the opposition's no confidence motion, which has however been rejected by the speaker, Philip Boedoro.
The speaker claimed that the opposition had forged the signatures of three government MPs.
A replacement for Mr Pipite is yet to be named.