2-Year Suspension Leaves F.A.S.T. Unchecked: Political Expert
Parliament Of Samoa
Photo: Parliament Of Samoa
The suspension of two Opposition leaders from Parliament is a downgrade to checks and balances and leaves the Legislative Assembly unchecked in is proceedings, says a Samoan political expert.
This is the view of Nanai Dr. Iati Iati in New Zealand, whose research areas focus on Pacific geopolitics, governance and development.
Nanai is a Senior Lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington at the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations.
He shared his view on the two-year suspension for Opposition leader Tuilaepa and Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) Secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi in response to questions from EyeSpy Radio News.
Samoa’s political system is similar to the Westminister system of democracy and it requires a strong opposition to guarantee political accountability and transparency, said Nanai.
“The Samoan political system is similar (though obviously not the same) to the Westminster system of democracy,” said Nanai.
“And, this system requires a strong opposition to encourage political accountability and transparency.”
Without Tuilaepa and Lealailepule in Parliament debate will no longer be so vigorous and there is an overall lowering of political checks and balances, he said.
“There would obviously be less vigorous debates and overall a lowering of political checks and balances,” Nanai said.
“Based on my previous answer, the opposition is necessary to keep the government in check.”
He notes that the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) received more of the popular vote than the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) political party in the 2021 General Election.
Nanai points out that H.R.P.P. numbers indicate that more Samoans agreed with the H.R.P.P. policies and personalities than F.A.S.T.
“The fact that the H.R.P.P. got more of the popular vote than F.A.S.T. means that more Samoans agreed with H.R.P.P. policies (and/or personalities) than F.A.S.T.,” he said.
Additionally, the absence of Tuilaepa and Lealailepule from Parliament means two electoral constituencies; their voices and interests are left unrepresented.
Tuilaepa ran unopposed for Lepa and Lealailepule ran unopposed for Faleata No. 3.
“Without the H.R.P.P. as opposition, the voices/interests/people that voted for it won't be represented,” said Nanai.
Last week, two senior Members of Parliament (M.P.s) Ale Vena Ale (Faleata No. 4) and Tuuu Anasii Leota (Siumu) announced their departure from the H.R.P.P. political party and declared their independence.
Ale and Tuuu told reporters they have no plans to join the ruling F.A.S.T. party.
The M.P.s were members of the Ethics and Privileges Committee that recommended the two-year suspension for Tuilaepa and Lealilepule.
Ale and Tuuu both signed their names on the Ethics and Privileges Committee report and voted in favour of the suspension, they told reporters during their press conference last Thursday.
Parliament voted 29-19 to place Tuilaepa and Lealailepule on suspension without pay on 18 October, 2022.
Last month, Fuimaono Dylan Asafo, a Samoan law lecturer at the University of Auckland, said
two-year punishment is an “unconstitutional misuse of Parliamentary power that should be of great concern to all Samoans” because “it sets an undemocratic precedent.”
The two-year suspension period for Opposition leader Tuilaepa and the H.R.P.P. Secretary Lealailepule is unconstitutional because it is excessive and undermines the protections for Samoa’s democracy enshrined in the Constitution, he explained.
“In my view, the suspension of Tuilaepa and Lealailepule for two years is unconstitutional,” Fuimaono said.
He said party loyalties should be set aside at this time and Standing Order 187(4) should be amended in order to uphold protections for Samoa’s democracy.
“Party loyalties and political tensions aside, this unconstitutional misuse of Parliamentary power should be of great concern to all Samoans as it sets an undemocratic precedent or norm for future Parliaments to follow,” Fuimaono said.
“Moving forward, it is crucial that Standing Order 187(4) be amended to provide a maximum time period for which an M.P. can be suspended so that constitutional protections for Samoa’s democracy can be upheld.”
Dr. Christina Laalaai-Tausa, a political scientist at University of Canterbury in New Zealand said the country should not worry about the two-year suspension as it was a decision made by Parliament not by one political party.
In a democracy, the power ultimately rests with the people: a government of the people, for the people and by the people, she said.
What the people should be worried about is the “power dynamics” inside and outside of Parliament House, said Dr. Laalaai-Tausa.
“The Parliamentary committee has conducted their work according to process, the country should not be worried about this – it has been a transparent process,” she told EyeSpy Radio.
“What the country should be worried about is the power dynamics that is evident amongst its members of Parliament – it’s not everyone but there has been a public display of a power struggle – both in and outside of Parliament in language and behaviour.”
The suspension does not punish the voters, she noted. Rather, the suspended M.P.s are punishing the voters because they do have the option to resign.
“The suspension doesn’t punish the voters – the M.P.s’ decisions and priorities punish the voters. If the M.P.s decision and priority is to maintain the power (if any) they have at the expense of the constituencies not having a representative for two years – that’s them punishing the voters,” Dr. Laalaai-Tausa said.
“However, if they decide and prioritise the voters by for example resigning – that’s them taking the punishment. The suspension does not in any way punish the voters. It’s the actions/inactions of the M.P.s that will punish the voters.”
Political Historian Leasiolagi Dr. Malama Meleisea was asked for a comment on the two-year suspension.
Leasiolagi is Director of the Centre for Samoan Studies at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.).
A spokesperson for Leasiolagi said he “cannot comment on that.”
EyeSpy understands that Tuilaepa and Lealailepule are currently in New Zealand.