Willie Jimmy

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Willie Jimmy Tapangararua, often just referred to as Willie Jimmy (born 4 March 1960), [1] is a Vanuatuan politician with the National United Party. [2]

Contents

Career

Jimmy has served as Vanuatu's Minister of Finance and/or trade on several occasions. [3] He was Minister of Finance from 1991-1992, 1993-1996, 1997, 2005-2008, 2013, and 2015-2016. [1]

In 2003, he was nominated to be the country's Deputy Prime Minister, but at the last minute was switched to the Minister of Trade position, so that the NUP president could be nominated in his place, as part of a coalition-building strategy. [4] He would go on to play a role in relations with China as his country's first ambassador to China, appointed in 2009. [3] [5]

On 23 March 2013, new Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil appointed him Minister of Finance. [6] On 10 May, Carcasses sacked him, "amid reports the veteran politician was in talks with the opposition about a possible defection", which Jimmy denied. Maki Simelum, who had been Minister for Justice, replaced him, while Silas Yatan (Greens, MP for Tanna) was given the Justice portfolio. [7] Jimmy joined the Opposition. On 26 February 2014, facing defections to the Opposition, Carcasses offered Cabinet positions to Opposition MPs, to shore up his parliamentary majority. Jimmy was one of those who defected to Carcasses' government for a Cabinet job; he was appointed Minister for Trade - replacing Daniel Toara, who was dismissed to make room for him. [8] Jimmy lost office when the Carcasses government was brought down by a motion of no confidence on 15 May 2014. [9]

On 11 June 2015, three government MPs crossed the floor, enabling the Opposition to oust Joe Natuman's government through a motion of no confidence. Sato Kilman formed the new government and re-appointed Jimmy to the position of Minister of Finance. [10] On 2 September, Jimmy pleaded guilty in court to charges of corruption for having taken bribes. [11] Jimmy admitted to receiving 1,000,000 vatu from Moana Carcasses in return for support in the motion of no-confidence that brought the Kilman government to power. The 15 other MPs accused of bribery pleaded not guilty, but all but one of them were subsequently convicted. [12]

Other

Jean Paul Virelala of the Ministry of Education filed a defamation suit against Jimmy, CEO Terry Kerr of Air Vanuatu, and the Vanuatu Daily Post over 2007 comments by the former two published in the latter organ; the newspaper quoted Jimmy as saying about Virelala's consultancy work for the airline that "I am concerned that Mr. Virelala will be wanting to get back at the current management for his dismissal and it will create problems." However, the suit was thrown out in October 2010. [13]

In November 2014, he stated publicly that like many indigenous Melanesians, he believes in witchcraft, and that the practice of witchcraft should be punished with the death penalty. [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 Hon. Tapangararua J. Willie
  2. ↑ "Jimmy's defeat loss to Vanuatu", Vanuatu Daily Post, 2008-09-06, retrieved 2010-11-29
  3. 1 2 "Minister confirms appointment", Vanuatu Daily Post, 2009-05-22, retrieved 2010-11-29
  4. ↑ "Willie Jimmy unhappy at failing to secure Vanuatu deputy premiership", Asia Africa Intelligence Wire, 2003-12-02, retrieved 2010-11-29
  5. ↑ "Chinese Club donate Vt1.4m supplies to landslide victims", Vanuatu Daily Post, 2009-06-23, retrieved 2010-11-29
  6. ↑ "Nation's interest first: Carcasses". Vanuatu Daily Post. 26 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Sacked Vanuatu Finance Minister feels betrayed by PM", Radio New Zealand International, 10 May 2013
  8. ↑ "Chaos reigns in Vanuatu politics. Again", Radio Australia, 26 February 2014
  9. ↑ "Natuman names cabinet line-up", Vanuatu Digest, 16 May 2014
  10. ↑ "Vanuatu announces new cabinet after new prime minister Sato Kilman is elected", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 12 June 2015
  11. ↑ "Vanuatu finance minister Willie Jimmy pleads guilty to charges of bribery in trial implicating 18 MPs", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3 September 2015
  12. ↑ "Public Prosecutor v Kalosil - Judgment as to verdict [2015] VUSC 135; Criminal Case 73 of 2015 (9 October 2015)".
  13. ↑ Neil-Jones, Marc (2010-10-09), "Virelala loses defamation case", Vanuatu Daily Post, retrieved 2010-11-29
  14. ↑ "Vanuatu MP wants death penalty for witchcraft", Radio Australia, 21 November 2014
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