Prime Minister Edward Natapei, only elected as the leader of Vanuatu in September 2008, has just lost his job over his failure to submit paperwork to excuse his absence from parliament recently.
Prime Minister Edward Natapei, only elected as the leader of Vanuatu in September 2008, has just lost his job over his failure to submit paperwork to excuse his absence from parliament recently.
The tiny nation consisting of some 83 islands in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of just over 200,000, was described as being "in turmoil" after the Prime Minister's office forgot to hand in a signed note excusing Natapei's absence from parliament this past week.
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He was out of the country attending the meeting of Commonwealth leaders in preparation for the upcoming Copenhagen climate change talks.
Natapei had to make an emergency trip back to Vanuatu to prepare for elections, which are expected to be held next week.
An unnamed official told the media, "It was a standing order. If you miss three consecutive meetings, your seat will be declared vacant."
Global warming
Vanuatu has already been suffering the consequences of global warming. There has been no speculation as to what this situational blunder might mean for Vanuatu with the upcoming climate change talks in Copenhagen.
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However, Vanuatu has been attempting to address the issue for many years, so it is anticipated that even if another Prime Minister be elected next week, Vanuatu will not lose momentum on the climate change front.
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