Comment on Samoa's recent by-elections
Samoa's by elections held 14 May 2010 ensured two Tautua Party MP's in Parliament and a new MP for the majority HRPP.
What the by-election demonstrated is the abuse of voters right by village matais who dictated to individuals who to vote for, at the same time using the threat of banishment (from the village) if individuals and their families do not comply (See story Samoa Observer 17 May 2010 reproduced)
This disrespect for an individual's right to vote drives candidates to take drive groups of individuals in to town to be registered. Candidates also provide transport for people to make sure they vote as directed by them (See also Samoa Observer story 18 May 2010)
If nothing is done to stop this abuse of the individual right to vote then Samoa's elections is still dictated by Matais.
I don't see any point in wasting public money on elections if the real source of abuse is not addressed.
Stories in Samoa observer:-
I’m running: Maposua
Written by Alan Ah Mu
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 18:05
[Maposua Solomona Toa’iloa]
Maposua Solomona Toa’iloa
A prominent lawyer, Maposua Solomona Toa’iloa yesterday scorched talk he has dropped out as a candidate for the general elections, next year.
He remains a candidate and his village of Lauli’i remains in support of him as announced, Maposua said.
Opposition to the road switch gave birth to The Peoples’ Party, which Maposua is president of.
Yesterday, he attacked the involvement of candidates in registering voters.
This was again seen in the lead up to the two by-elections held last week.
Candidates transported constituents to the Office of the Electoral Commission to be registered.
“It should be forbidden,” said Maposu
a. “Bribery starts there.”
First candidates transport voters for registration and then give them money for their fares home, he said.
The practice has been going on for a long time.
In the days when there were voter Identification Cards, it got to the stage where candidates took cards from voters and returned them only on ballot day.
The aim by candidates was to ensure constituents voted for them, said Maposua.
If the law is not strong enough to stop such interference by candidates in the rights of voters, they’ll introduce one when they gain power, he said.
Maposua said he has not taken any constituent to the Electoral office to register as a voter.
“Not a single person.”
“It’s not mine, it’s not my family’s,” he said of another person’s vote.
If lack of registration results in only 50 voters casting a ballot in an election, so be it, he said.
Lauli’i is in the Vaimauga East constituency.
In which case Maposua aims to remove Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau, Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure as MP of the constituency.
Story in Samoa observer 17 May 2010
Fa’amagalo nisi e le afio’aga
Monday, 17 May 2010 11:45
A. Tagoa’i
O le aso To’ona’i na te’a nei na fa’amagalo ai se aiga na palota ese i latou mai le sui tauva na tatau na palota iai i latou.
I se fonotaga i le va o le sui tauva na malo o le Itumalo o Faleata i Sisifo, Ale Vena Ale, ma lana Komiti fa’apea ai ma le afio’aga atoa o Toamua ma Saina, na fa’aalia ai le totama’i ai o se tasi o matai o le afio’aga ina ua palota ese se tasi o matai ma lona auaiga i se isi sui tauva.
Na fa’aalia e Ulu Pisimata, i le fonotaga fa’apea o nei ituaiga o tagata ua tatau iai le fa’ate’aese ma le afio’aga.
“O lau palota o la oe lava mea lilo lea, ma e leai se tasi na te iloaina,” o lana fa’aaliga lea.
Nisi o le taulele’a o le aiga na fa’amagaloina e matai o le afioaga o Toamua ina ua palota ese mai le sui tauva na tasi iai le afioaga. Ata: Marieta. H. Ilalio.
Peita’i na fa’aalia e Ulu o le mea lea na fai e lenei matai o Mua’au i le aso o le palota, o lona mana’o lea e fa’aali mai i le nu’u na palota ese o ia i le isi suitauva.
“Ma o lenei tulaga e fa’aali mai ai le le fa’aaloalo o lenei ali’i,” o Ulu lea.
O l
enei matai o Mua’au Te’o,sa tatau ona va’ai muamua o ia i lona auaiga, a’o le’i faia lana fa’ai’uga,” o le fa’aaliga lea a Ulu.
“Afai e iai se mea e le’o fiafia ai o ia i se isi o i tatou i’inei, sa tatau ona o’o mai o ia ma tatou feiloa’i.”
Na fa’aalia e Ulu o lona totama’i ai, ona o Ale o lo’o lagolagoina e le afio’aga atoa,ae le na’o se tagata e to’atasi pe na’o se vaega, ma o tagata uma o le afio’aga e tatau ona fa’aaloalo i lenei fa’ai’uga ma palota mo ia e fa’aali ai le maopopoga ato’atoa o pulega a le afio’aga.
Peita’i na fa’amagalo e Ale o ia o le sui faipule fou o Faleata i Sisifo lenei auaiga, ma ia fa’aalia fa’apea o le mea na fa’aalia e Ulu Pisimata e moni lea.
“E mo se famanuiaga o le tatou afio’aga,”o lana fa’aaliga lea.
Na fa’afetaia e Ulu Vaomalo Ulu Kini, o ia o le Ta’ita’ifono o le Komiti a Ale, ali’i ma faipule o Toamua fa’apea ma Saina mo le latou fa’amagaloga i nei taulele’a e to’alima o lona aiga lea na auai mai ma fa’ato’ese i le afio’aga.
Na fa’aalia e Ale ua fa’amagalo ia i latou, aua o Faleata i Sisifo lea ua amata atu ai fa’ai’uga ma pulega lelei.
Na iai le tasi i afio’aga o Toamua ma Saina e leai se tagata mai nei afio’aga e palota ese mai le latou sui ua tasi moemoe iai o Ale lea.
Na ia fa’afetaia lana Komiti fa’apea ai ma le afio’aga atoa mo le latou lagolago ma le latou talitonuina o ia ua aveina atu iai le latou fa’amoemoe, a’o faia ai lenei fonotaga a nei afio’aga i le aso ananafi.
What the by-election demonstrated is the abuse of voters right by village matais who dictated to individuals who to vote for, at the same time using the threat of banishment (from the village) if individuals and their families do not comply (See story Samoa Observer 17 May 2010 reproduced)
This disrespect for an individual's right to vote drives candidates to take drive groups of individuals in to town to be registered. Candidates also provide transport for people to make sure they vote as directed by them (See also Samoa Observer story 18 May 2010)
If nothing is done to stop this abuse of the individual right to vote then Samoa's elections is still dictated by Matais.
I don't see any point in wasting public money on elections if the real source of abuse is not addressed.
Stories in Samoa observer:-
I’m running: Maposua
Written by Alan Ah Mu
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 18:05
[Maposua Solomona Toa’iloa]
Maposua Solomona Toa’iloa
A prominent lawyer, Maposua Solomona Toa’iloa yesterday scorched talk he has dropped out as a candidate for the general elections, next year.
He remains a candidate and his village of Lauli’i remains in support of him as announced, Maposua said.
Opposition to the road switch gave birth to The Peoples’ Party, which Maposua is president of.
Yesterday, he attacked the involvement of candidates in registering voters.
This was again seen in the lead up to the two by-elections held last week.
Candidates transported constituents to the Office of the Electoral Commission to be registered.
“It should be forbidden,” said Maposu
a. “Bribery starts there.”
First candidates transport voters for registration and then give them money for their fares home, he said.
The practice has been going on for a long time.
In the days when there were voter Identification Cards, it got to the stage where candidates took cards from voters and returned them only on ballot day.
The aim by candidates was to ensure constituents voted for them, said Maposua.
If the law is not strong enough to stop such interference by candidates in the rights of voters, they’ll introduce one when they gain power, he said.
Maposua said he has not taken any constituent to the Electoral office to register as a voter.
“Not a single person.”
“It’s not mine, it’s not my family’s,” he said of another person’s vote.
If lack of registration results in only 50 voters casting a ballot in an election, so be it, he said.
Lauli’i is in the Vaimauga East constituency.
In which case Maposua aims to remove Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau, Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure as MP of the constituency.
Story in Samoa observer 17 May 2010
Fa’amagalo nisi e le afio’aga
Monday, 17 May 2010 11:45
A. Tagoa’i
O le aso To’ona’i na te’a nei na fa’amagalo ai se aiga na palota ese i latou mai le sui tauva na tatau na palota iai i latou.
I se fonotaga i le va o le sui tauva na malo o le Itumalo o Faleata i Sisifo, Ale Vena Ale, ma lana Komiti fa’apea ai ma le afio’aga atoa o Toamua ma Saina, na fa’aalia ai le totama’i ai o se tasi o matai o le afio’aga ina ua palota ese se tasi o matai ma lona auaiga i se isi sui tauva.
Na fa’aalia e Ulu Pisimata, i le fonotaga fa’apea o nei ituaiga o tagata ua tatau iai le fa’ate’aese ma le afio’aga.
“O lau palota o la oe lava mea lilo lea, ma e leai se tasi na te iloaina,” o lana fa’aaliga lea.
Nisi o le taulele’a o le aiga na fa’amagaloina e matai o le afioaga o Toamua ina ua palota ese mai le sui tauva na tasi iai le afioaga. Ata: Marieta. H. Ilalio.
Peita’i na fa’aalia e Ulu o le mea lea na fai e lenei matai o Mua’au i le aso o le palota, o lona mana’o lea e fa’aali mai i le nu’u na palota ese o ia i le isi suitauva.
“Ma o lenei tulaga e fa’aali mai ai le le fa’aaloalo o lenei ali’i,” o Ulu lea.
O l
enei matai o Mua’au Te’o,sa tatau ona va’ai muamua o ia i lona auaiga, a’o le’i faia lana fa’ai’uga,” o le fa’aaliga lea a Ulu.
“Afai e iai se mea e le’o fiafia ai o ia i se isi o i tatou i’inei, sa tatau ona o’o mai o ia ma tatou feiloa’i.”
Na fa’aalia e Ulu o lona totama’i ai, ona o Ale o lo’o lagolagoina e le afio’aga atoa,ae le na’o se tagata e to’atasi pe na’o se vaega, ma o tagata uma o le afio’aga e tatau ona fa’aaloalo i lenei fa’ai’uga ma palota mo ia e fa’aali ai le maopopoga ato’atoa o pulega a le afio’aga.
Peita’i na fa’amagalo e Ale o ia o le sui faipule fou o Faleata i Sisifo lenei auaiga, ma ia fa’aalia fa’apea o le mea na fa’aalia e Ulu Pisimata e moni lea.
“E mo se famanuiaga o le tatou afio’aga,”o lana fa’aaliga lea.
Na fa’afetaia e Ulu Vaomalo Ulu Kini, o ia o le Ta’ita’ifono o le Komiti a Ale, ali’i ma faipule o Toamua fa’apea ma Saina mo le latou fa’amagaloga i nei taulele’a e to’alima o lona aiga lea na auai mai ma fa’ato’ese i le afio’aga.
Na fa’aalia e Ale ua fa’amagalo ia i latou, aua o Faleata i Sisifo lea ua amata atu ai fa’ai’uga ma pulega lelei.
Na iai le tasi i afio’aga o Toamua ma Saina e leai se tagata mai nei afio’aga e palota ese mai le latou sui ua tasi moemoe iai o Ale lea.
Na ia fa’afetaia lana Komiti fa’apea ai ma le afio’aga atoa mo le latou lagolago ma le latou talitonuina o ia ua aveina atu iai le latou fa’amoemoe, a’o faia ai lenei fonotaga a nei afio’aga i le aso ananafi.
posted by Meripa Weir at 12:27 PM
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