pn757. Samoa continues to be without a government, but decision probable next week

The contestants: HRRP and FAST leaders, (l-r)

Samoa continues to be without a government but a final decision on which party, Tuila'epa  Malielegaoi's HRPP or Fiame Mata'afa's FAST party, will rule should be made next week.

Samoa looks set to have a final ruling on whether the election-winning FAST Party's impromptu swearing-in as the government will be officially recognised.

The Court of Appeal today granted applications from the Attorney General to hear an appeal and stay of execution against the Supreme Court's 28 June ruling that parliament must sit by 4pm Monday, 5 July.

The Supreme Court judged that a breach of its ruling would compel the court to revisit FAST's ad hoc swearing-in on 24 May, and find in the newcomer party's favour.

This so-called 'tent swearing-in' ceremony was held on the lawn outside parliament, after Samoa's former Speaker of Parliament Leaupepe Toleafoa Fa'afisi, a member of the caretaker HRPP government, prevented FAST party MPs-elect from entering parliament.

It followed the Supreme Court on the previous day calling for Parliament to sit the next day to meet a constitutional requirement that parliament convene and MPs be sworn in within 45 days of an election.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled the matter would be referred to the Court of Appeal for a full and final determination.

The Court of Appeal has today (8 July) determined that the matters will be heard next Friday the 16th of July.

Related, from Samoa Global News.  

Some background on why so many voted to end HRPP's 40-year rule.

See also earlier postings pn743 and pn751.

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