Contributions to inside issues in Samoa

Talofa e ia Samoa PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 22 June 2009 11:56

Dear editor - The recent disallowing of nine elected MPs to enter Parliament and the manner in which they were treated at the door of Parliament is absolutely un-Samoan, un-Christian and thus breaches the Constitution.

Where is the ava and fa’aaloalo, and the tofa loloto supposively supreme principles of fa’aSamoa that the nine honorable MPs should have been shown?
There are many interested observers of the Samoan Parliament because they have been told of the unique way Samoan traditions and Samoan culture have been successfully integrated into the Westminster system of parliament. What do they learn now?

I say that the treatment of the nine honourable members was unwarranted. What is the underlying agenda? Is the Speaker aware that switching to different political parties is a very common practice in democracies around the world?
I say th
at the current leadership of Samoa is afraid of the talent and integrity of the break away MPs and if this group of principled men form an opposition party, and to issue a real challenge.

Samoa desperately needs an opposition voice in Parliament not only to represent the alternative view but most important to keep the government honest.

Ma lo’u fa’aaloalo lava,
Meripa Weir
Keen Samoan Watcher from abroad