Sela Molisa
Encyclopedia
Sela Molisa is a ni-Vanuatu
politician. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu
, and was briefly Minister for Trade in Serge Vohor
's Cabinet
from April to May 2011. Initially a member of the Vanua'aku Pati
, he left the party in 2006, but had rejoined it in time for the 2008 general election
.
from 1966 to 1970, before studying at the University of the South Pacific
in Suva
from 1971 to 1973. He then studied at the Fiji School of Medicine
in 1974.
since 1983, representing the constituency of Espiritu Santo
, his home island. He served as Minister for Home Affairs in 1983; as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1987; as Minister for Finance from 1987 to 1991; as Minister for Trade in 1996; as Minister for Finance again from 1998 to 1999; as Minister for Lands from 2001 to 2002; and as Minister for Finance twice more from 2002 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2010. He has also been Governor of the World Bank Group
for Vanuatu, and member of the Bank Group's Board of Governors.
In the late 1980s, as Foreign Minister, he oversaw a commercial fishing agreement with the Soviet Union
. As Minister for Finance, he oversaw the removing of Vanuatu from the OECD List of Uncooperative Tax Havens. He also sought to encourage the use of coconut oil
, derived from Vanuatu-produced copra
, to fuel automobiles so as to reduce the country's dependence on imported oil.
In March 2006, Molisa accused Ham Lini
's government of indecisiveness on a number of issues, and attempted to replace him as prime minister though a motion of no confidence
in Parliament. Molisa was supported by the Green Confederation
, the Melanesian Progressive Party
and the Union of Moderate Parties
, but the motion failed.
In June 2008, Molisa became chairman of the independent monitoring group tasked with overseeing the preparation of the Republic of the Fiji Islands
' People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
.
In September 2008, he was appointed Finance Minister once more. He lost his post when the Natapei government was ousted in a motion of no confidence on December 2, 2010, and he sat on the opposition benches for the next four months. On April 24, 2011, new Prime Minister Sato Kilman
was himself ousted in a motion of no confidence, and succeeded by Serge Vohor
. Vohor appointed Molisa as his Minister for Trade. Three weeks later, however, Vohor's election and premiership were voided by the Court of Appeal, and Molisa lost his position in government. On June 16, Kilman's election and premiership were themselves voided by the Supreme Court, on constitutional grounds, and previous Prime Minister Edward Natapei
became caretaker Prime Minister until a new leader could be elected. Molisa was restored as caretaker Minister of Trade.
Sela Molisa was married to Grace Mera Molisa
, an influential politician and poet who died in 2002. They were married in 1976, and both took part in preparing the Constitution of Vanuatu.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
politician. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
, and was briefly Minister for Trade in Serge Vohor
Serge Vohor
Rialuth Serge Vohor is a politician from Vanuatu. He hails from the largest island of Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, from Port Olry.He is a member of the Union of Moderate Parties, a conservative, Francophone political party. When his party came to power in 1991, Vohor became foreign minister of Vanuatu...
's Cabinet
Council of Ministers of Vanuatu
The Cabinet of Vanuatu is the cabinet of the government of the Republic of Vanuatu....
from April to May 2011. Initially a member of the Vanua'aku Pati
Vanua'aku Pati
The Vanua'aku Pati is a political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 1 September 2008, the party won 11 out of 52 seats, becoming the largest party in Parliament....
, he left the party in 2006, but had rejoined it in time for the 2008 general election
Vanuatuan general election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Vanuatu on September 2, 2008. In July, the Melanesian Progressive Party requested that they be postponed, contesting the constitutionality of the Peoples Representation Act No. 33 of 2007, which allegedly enabled voters in certain constituencies to vote in two...
.
Education
Molisa attended a British colonial secondary school in what was then the New HebridesNew Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
from 1966 to 1970, before studying at the University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
from 1971 to 1973. He then studied at the Fiji School of Medicine
Fiji School of Medicine
The Fiji School of Medicine is a tertiary institution based in Suva, Fiji. Originally established in 1885 as the Suva Medical School. After merger with leading institutions in 2010, FSM is now called called College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences under Fiji National University. It striving...
in 1974.
Career
Molisa has been a Member of ParliamentParliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
since 1983, representing the constituency of Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
, his home island. He served as Minister for Home Affairs in 1983; as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1987; as Minister for Finance from 1987 to 1991; as Minister for Trade in 1996; as Minister for Finance again from 1998 to 1999; as Minister for Lands from 2001 to 2002; and as Minister for Finance twice more from 2002 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2010. He has also been Governor of the World Bank Group
World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is a family of five international organizations that makes leveraged loans, generally to poor countries.The Bank came into formal existence on 27 December 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary...
for Vanuatu, and member of the Bank Group's Board of Governors.
In the late 1980s, as Foreign Minister, he oversaw a commercial fishing agreement with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. As Minister for Finance, he oversaw the removing of Vanuatu from the OECD List of Uncooperative Tax Havens. He also sought to encourage the use of coconut oil
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm . Throughout the tropical world, it has provided the primary source of fat in the diets of millions of people for generations. It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry...
, derived from Vanuatu-produced copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
, to fuel automobiles so as to reduce the country's dependence on imported oil.
In March 2006, Molisa accused Ham Lini
Ham Lini
Ham Lini Vanuaroroa is a politician from Vanuatu. He is an MP from Pentecost Island in PENAMA Province. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 11 December 2004 until 22 September 2008. Lini is the brother of Walter Lini, one of the founders of the modern Republic of Vanuatu...
's government of indecisiveness on a number of issues, and attempted to replace him as prime minister though a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in Parliament. Molisa was supported by the Green Confederation
Green Confederation
The Greens/Verts is a green political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 2 September 2008, the party won 2 out of 52 seats. Its most prominent member is Moana Carcasses Kalosil, the deputy leader of the opposition and a former cabinet minister.-See also:*Green party*List of...
, the Melanesian Progressive Party
Melanesian Progressive Party
The Melanesian Progressive Party is a political party in Vanuatu. At the last legislative elections, 6 July 2004, the party won 4 out of 52 seats, an increase of 2 seats. Despite its small number of seats it has been important in setting up coalition governments since the 1990s. Its most prominent...
and the Union of Moderate Parties
Union of Moderate Parties
The Union of Moderate Parties is a conservative Francophone political party in Vanuatu.At the last legislative elections, 1 September 2008, the party won 7 out of 52 seats...
, but the motion failed.
In June 2008, Molisa became chairman of the independent monitoring group tasked with overseeing the preparation of the Republic of the Fiji Islands
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
' People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
The People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress is a proposed legal document which would complement the Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. It would establish compulsory guidelines for any government policy in Fiji over the coming years...
.
In September 2008, he was appointed Finance Minister once more. He lost his post when the Natapei government was ousted in a motion of no confidence on December 2, 2010, and he sat on the opposition benches for the next four months. On April 24, 2011, new Prime Minister Sato Kilman
Sato Kilman
Sato Kilman is a Vanuatu politician. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from December 2010 to April 2011 and from May to June 2011, though his premiership was subsequently annulled by a court of law. He was elected Prime Minister again on 26 June 2011, thus beginning his first legally recognised term...
was himself ousted in a motion of no confidence, and succeeded by Serge Vohor
Serge Vohor
Rialuth Serge Vohor is a politician from Vanuatu. He hails from the largest island of Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, from Port Olry.He is a member of the Union of Moderate Parties, a conservative, Francophone political party. When his party came to power in 1991, Vohor became foreign minister of Vanuatu...
. Vohor appointed Molisa as his Minister for Trade. Three weeks later, however, Vohor's election and premiership were voided by the Court of Appeal, and Molisa lost his position in government. On June 16, Kilman's election and premiership were themselves voided by the Supreme Court, on constitutional grounds, and previous Prime Minister Edward Natapei
Edward Natapei
Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki is a politician from Vanuatu. He was elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu on two separate terms, and was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefly in 1991, the acting President of Vanuatu from 2 March 1999 to 24 March 1999 , and Deputy Prime Minister...
became caretaker Prime Minister until a new leader could be elected. Molisa was restored as caretaker Minister of Trade.
Sela Molisa was married to Grace Mera Molisa
Grace Mera Molisa
Grace Mera Molisa, born 17 February 1946 in North Ambae, died 4 January 2002 in Port-Vila, was a ni-Vanuatu politician, poet and campaigner for women's equality in politics. The Australian described her as "a vanguard for Melanesian culture and a voice of the ni-Vanuatu, especially women"...
, an influential politician and poet who died in 2002. They were married in 1976, and both took part in preparing the Constitution of Vanuatu.
External links
- Biography of Sela Molisa on the website of the Parliament of Vanuatu
- "Vanuatu’s new finance minister aims for stability", Radio New Zealand International, September 23, 2008