Pacific / Vanuatu

Former Vanuatu president calls for constitutional change

14:47 pm on 6 October 2015

A former Vanuatu president, George Sokomanu, says the constitution should be changed to accommodate the problems arising from alleged corruption involving parliamentarians.

His comments come as 16 members of the parliament are before the court in an alleged bribery case.

Photo: 123RF

The president, Father Baldwin Lonsdale, alluded to the case in an address to mark the day of the signing of the constitution in 1980.

Mr Sokomanu agrees with the president's call.

"What happened recently to our members of parliament who have been taken to court and the president was right in saying no-one was above the law. Because of you do wrong - and I say this is required in the constitution - you should face the consequences."