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FAST to ask Samoa judges to recognise impromptu swearing in

July 8, 2021

RNZ Pacific The FAST Party in Samoa has filed an application with the Supreme Court to have it recognise an impromptu swearing-in ceremony of elected members of the new political party. At the beginning of last week the court ruled the ceremony illegal as the Head of State was not present. But it said Parliament ... <a title="FAST to ask Samoa judges to recognise impromptu swearing in" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/08/fast-to-ask-samoa-judges-to-recognise-impromptu-swearing-in/" aria-label="Read more about FAST to ask Samoa judges to recognise impromptu swearing in">Read more</a>

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Samoa Observer: The nation’s chief justice – a gift from above

July 5, 2021

EDITORIAL: By the Samoa Observer editorial board How quickly things change. If, as the old cliche goes, a week is a long time in politics then a month is an eternity. As a story on the front page of the Weekend Observer revealed, the caretaker government is once again seeking to shape the outcome of ... <a title="Samoa Observer: The nation’s chief justice – a gift from above" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/05/samoa-observer-the-nations-chief-justice-a-gift-from-above/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa Observer: The nation’s chief justice – a gift from above">Read more</a>

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Samoan court ruling may open door to Parliament sitting this week

June 28, 2021

RNZ Pacific The electoral stalemate in Samoa finally looks set to be resolved with a Court of Appeal ruling on Friday paving the way for a Supreme Court hearing today. Today’s hearing will determine whether the swearing-in ceremony held last month by the election-winning FAST party was legal. The Supreme Court is due to sit ... <a title="Samoan court ruling may open door to Parliament sitting this week" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/28/samoan-court-ruling-may-open-door-to-parliament-sitting-this-week/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan court ruling may open door to Parliament sitting this week">Read more</a>

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Samoa’s FAST gets Appeal Court election clarification it wanted

June 26, 2021

RNZ Pacific The Court of Appeal in Samoa says its ruling from June 2 on the sixth women’s seat cannot be used to delay the convening of Parliament. The court had said a sixth woman is required to satisfy the constitutional requirements but that any decision on this be delayed until after the electoral petition ... <a title="Samoa’s FAST gets Appeal Court election clarification it wanted" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/26/samoas-fast-gets-appeal-court-election-clarification-it-wanted/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa’s FAST gets Appeal Court election clarification it wanted">Read more</a>

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New Caledonia tension simmers over early independence vote date

June 22, 2021

By Walter Zweifel, RNZ Pacific reporter Political tension is rising in New Caledonia as a third referendum on independence from France is planned in December. The decolonisation process under the 1998 Noumea Accord is nearing its conclusion and scenarios are being drawn up for how to deal with the result. In 2018 and 2020, a ... <a title="New Caledonia tension simmers over early independence vote date" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/22/new-caledonia-tension-simmers-over-early-independence-vote-date/" aria-label="Read more about New Caledonia tension simmers over early independence vote date">Read more</a>

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Samoan court declares Sagaga 2 seat void – 26-24 balance for FAST

June 18, 2021

By Soli Wilson in Apia A Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) associate minister has had his  seat of Sagaga 2 in the Samoa general election declared void by the Supreme Court following a legal challenge, triggering a byelection. This means previously elected Member of Parliament Seiuli Ueligitone Seiuli, a member of the HRPP has been ... <a title="Samoan court declares Sagaga 2 seat void – 26-24 balance for FAST" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/18/samoan-court-declares-sagaga-2-seat-void-26-24-balance-for-fast/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan court declares Sagaga 2 seat void – 26-24 balance for FAST">Read more</a>

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Samoa’s caretaker PM Tuila’epa sued for contempt of court

June 10, 2021

Asia Pacific Report newsdesk In the latest twist in Samoa’s political rollercoaster, the FAST party has accused the rival HRPP leader of contempt of court, reports Pacific Media Network News. Tuila’epa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi has been accused of ignoring a Supreme Court ruling to convene Parliament, when FAST should have been sworn in as government. ... <a title="Samoa’s caretaker PM Tuila’epa sued for contempt of court" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/10/samoas-caretaker-pm-tuilaepa-sued-for-contempt-of-court/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa’s caretaker PM Tuila’epa sued for contempt of court">Read more</a>

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Samoa leadership talks fail to resolve political impasse

June 8, 2021

RNZ Pacific Samoa’s Prime Minister-elect, FAST party leader Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, says negotiations remain at an impasse between her party and the rival Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). The parties met yesterday in Apia to try and resolve the stalemate resulting from the April 9 election. In a statement last night, Fiame maintained that FAST ... <a title="Samoa leadership talks fail to resolve political impasse" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/08/samoa-leadership-talks-fail-to-resolve-political-impasse/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa leadership talks fail to resolve political impasse">Read more</a>

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Samoa Observer: For Tuilaepa, the truth hurts

June 5, 2021

EDITORIAL: By the Samoa Observer editorial board Buoyed as he is by [Wednesday’s] court decision, Samoa’s caretaker Prime Minister has shown a character flaw weighing down upon our national politics: an inability to face up to hard truths. Despite Tuilaepa Dr Sa’ilele Malielegaoi having just alleged the judiciary was conspiring against him, the Appellate Court ... <a title="Samoa Observer: For Tuilaepa, the truth hurts" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/05/samoa-observer-for-tuilaepa-the-truth-hurts/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa Observer: For Tuilaepa, the truth hurts">Read more</a>

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Fuimaono Dylan Asafo: Samoan ruling an unfortunate case of judicial overreach

June 3, 2021

ANALYSIS: By Fuimaono Dylan Asafo Samoa’s Court of Appeal (CA) ruled yesterday that Article 44(1A) of the Constitution requires that six women should sit in Parliament. With all due respect, I believe that the CA’s decision was incorrect. This is on the grounds that the CA has overreached its powers by encroaching on the law-making ... <a title="Fuimaono Dylan Asafo: Samoan ruling an unfortunate case of judicial overreach" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/03/fuimaono-dylan-asafo-samoan-ruling-an-unfortunate-case-of-judicial-overreach/" aria-label="Read more about Fuimaono Dylan Asafo: Samoan ruling an unfortunate case of judicial overreach">Read more</a>

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Samoa’s two leaders both keen to meet following appeal court ruling

June 3, 2021

RNZ Pacific The leaders of Samoa’s two main political parties have finally found something to agree upon since the April 9 general election – they will meet. Following yesterday’s Court of Appeal ruling, both the caretaker prime minister Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi and prime minister-elect, FAST Party leader Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, announced they plan to meet. ... <a title="Samoa’s two leaders both keen to meet following appeal court ruling" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/03/samoas-two-leaders-both-keen-to-meet-following-appeal-court-ruling/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa’s two leaders both keen to meet following appeal court ruling">Read more</a>

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Attorney-General attacks Chief Justice as Samoan political crisis deepens

May 27, 2021

By Barbara Dreaver, TVNZ One News Pacific correspondent Samoa’s deepening political crisis has taken yet another turn today after the Attorney-General’s office launched an astounding attack on the country’s judiciary. The Supreme Court hearing over whether the swearing in of the FAST party outside Parliament was legitimate has been adjourned to next week after the ... <a title="Attorney-General attacks Chief Justice as Samoan political crisis deepens" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/05/27/attorney-general-attacks-chief-justice-as-samoan-political-crisis-deepens/" aria-label="Read more about Attorney-General attacks Chief Justice as Samoan political crisis deepens">Read more</a>