CoveragePost
July 31, 2021
RNZ Pacific After previous calls for the Samoan Parliament to convene so a national budget can be passed, the ruling FAST Party now says there is no real need to rush to convene Parliament. Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said last Saturday that Parliament would meet “in the first opportunity” this week to pass a ... <a title="FAST now says it needs to delay Samoa’s Parliament convening" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/31/fast-now-says-it-needs-to-delay-samoas-parliament-convening/" aria-label="Read more about FAST now says it needs to delay Samoa’s Parliament convening">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 27, 2021
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s opposition MPs who were arrested after their criticism of a government land bill say they will not be intimidated or silenced. Police have since released several leaders of the opposition who were arrested late Sunday. One of those arrested, the National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad, said he was wanted in ... <a title="Fiji opposition MPs pledge not to be silenced, despite arrests over criticism" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/27/fiji-opposition-mps-pledge-not-to-be-silenced-despite-arrests-over-criticism/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji opposition MPs pledge not to be silenced, despite arrests over criticism">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 21, 2021
ANALYSIS: By Dan McGarry, The Village Explainer I wasn’t invited to the inaugural Vanuatu media awards a couple of weeks ago. Nor was I asked to participate. Instead, I spent the weekend preparing the final draft of the Media Association of Vanuatu’s Code of Ethics and Practice. I am proud to say it was adopted ... <a title="Dan McGarry: The truth is our republic" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/21/dan-mcgarry-the-truth-is-our-republic/" aria-label="Read more about Dan McGarry: The truth is our republic">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 3, 2021
RNZ Pacific A convicted Tongan government minister, ‘Akosita Lavulavu, and her husband ‘Etuate Lavulavu have each been jailed for six years. They were sentenced today in the Supreme Court after being found guilty on charges of obtaining money by false pretences. The couple owned and ran the educational institution ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute. They ... <a title="Tongan MP and former MP couple sentenced to six years jail" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/03/tongan-mp-and-former-mp-couple-sentenced-to-six-years-jail/" aria-label="Read more about Tongan MP and former MP couple sentenced to six years jail">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
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>
CoveragePost
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>
CoveragePost
June 18, 2021
RNZ Pacific Vanuatu Supreme Court judge Justice Oliver Saksak has upheld a decision by the former Speaker of Parliament to expel 19 government MPs from Parliament. The court ruling could trigger the collapse of Vanuatu’s government but a subsequent appeal is likely to grant a stay of execution for the administration of Bob Loughman. Gracia ... <a title="Vanuatu Supreme Court confirms 19 government MPs lose seats" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/18/vanuatu-supreme-court-confirms-19-government-mps-lose-seats/" aria-label="Read more about Vanuatu Supreme Court confirms 19 government MPs lose seats">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 10, 2021
RNZ Pacific Vanuatu Supreme Court judge Justice Oliver Saksak has granted a stay on the vacation of 19 seats in the country’s Parliament. On Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament, Gracia Shadrack, declared the seats of Prime Minister Bob Loughman and 18 of his MPs vacant because they had been absent from Parliament on three consecutive ... <a title="Vanuatu judge stays Speaker’s vacation of PM plus 18 parliamentary seats" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/10/vanuatu-judge-stays-speakers-vacation-of-pm-plus-18-parliamentary-seats/" aria-label="Read more about Vanuatu judge stays Speaker’s vacation of PM plus 18 parliamentary seats">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 9, 2021
RNZ Pacific The speaker of the Vanuatu Parliament has declared the seats of the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and 16 other government MPs vacant. The government had filed a motion to have the speaker, Gracia Shadrack, removed – a feud which saw the MPs and Prime Minister Bob Loughman boycott Parliament for three ... <a title="Vanuatu speaker declares vacant seats of PM, his deputy and 16 MPs" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/09/vanuatu-speaker-declares-vacant-seats-of-pm-his-deputy-and-16-mps/" aria-label="Read more about Vanuatu speaker declares vacant seats of PM, his deputy and 16 MPs">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 9, 2021
By Luke Nacei in Suva Social media posts by two outspoken Suva-based lawyers have been raised in Parliament over a critical culture “that has been created”. Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told Parliament the lawyers, Jon Apted and Richard Naidu, were from a law firm that specialised in commercial law. “But talking about confidence, let me read ... <a title="AG raises Suva lawyers’ ‘little confidence’ social media posts" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/09/ag-raises-suva-lawyers-little-confidence-social-media-posts/" aria-label="Read more about AG raises Suva lawyers’ ‘little confidence’ social media posts">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
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>
CoveragePost
May 27, 2021
EDITORIAL: By the Editorial Board As the focus of Samoa’s political crisis shifts to the courtrooms of our Supreme and District Courts, and with Monday, 24 May 2021, going down in the history books as a tale of alternate realities, we are left wondering if there is something missing. Wherever you stand and whoever you ... <a title="Samoa Observer: Where is the Head of State?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/05/27/samoa-observer-where-is-the-head-of-state/" aria-label="Read more about Samoa Observer: Where is the Head of State?">Read more</a>
