Vanuatu’s Natapei dead

PORT VILA – Vanuatu’s former prime minister Edward Natapei has died after a long-term illness. The current opposition leader passed away in a hospital in Port Vila yesterday morning at the age of 61.

He served as prime minister of the Pacific island nation twice, first between 2001 and 2004 and again from 2008 to 2010.

Local journalist Tony Wilson said the loss of Natapei would be felt across the country.

“There’s a lot of people quite shocked at the news this morning,” Wilson said. “He was a real gentleman, consummate statesman, well loved.”

Wilson said despite his illness, Natapei remained active in Vanuatu politics.

“I think he bridged the gap in some respects between the western style of politics and Pacific politics,” he said.

“I was always taken with his beautiful command of the English language. He spoke like a scholar.

“He had a great respect for the Westminster way of politics and he brought a lot of that to the parliament and government of Vanuatu.”

He was elected to parliament in 1983.