Members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa were elected on 31 March 2006. It consisted of 49 representatives, elected from six two-seat and 35 single-seat territorial constituencies, and two non-territorial constituencies.
As of May 2009, there were four woman MPs, but one, Fuimaono Na'oia Te'i, was expelled by the Speaker at the end of May, due to changing her party membership.[1]
The parliamentary session was officially opened by the O le Ao o le Malo, Malietoa Tanumafili II, on 30 May 2006.[2]
Members
edit| Party | Leader | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Rights Protection Party | Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi | 32 | |
| Samoan Democratic United Party | Le Mamea Ropati, then Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai | 10 | |
| Independents | 7 | ||
Initial MPs
edit| Name | Party | Electorate | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A'eau Peniamina | SDUP | Falealupo | Fourth | |
| Aiono Tile Gafa | HRPP | A'ana Alofi No. 1 | Second | |
| Anauli Pofitu Fesili | HRPP | Vaimauga West | First | |
| Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai | SDUP | Satupa'itea | Second | |
| Faumuina Tiatia Liuga | HRPP | Palauli-Le-Falefa | Second | |
| Fiame Naomi | HRPP | Lotofaga | Sixth | |
| Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | HRPP | Anoama'a West | Second | |
| Fuimaono Naoia Tei | SDUP | Falealili | First | |
| Galuvao Viliamu Sepulona | Independent | Gagaemauga No. 3 | First | |
| Gatoloaifaana Amataga Alesana-Gidlow | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 1 | First | |
| Hans Joachim Keil III | HRPP | Individual | Fifth | |
| Laauli Leuatea Polataivao | HRPP | Gagaifomauga No. 3 | First | |
| Lafaitele Patrick Leiataualesa | HRPP | Alataua West | First | |
| Le Mamea Ropati | SDUP | Lefaga & Falese'ela | Seventh | |
| Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi | Independent | Faleata West | First | |
| Leao Talalelei Tuitama | HRPP | Va'a-O-Fonoti | Third | |
| Niko Lee Hang | HRPP | Individual | Second | |
| Levaopolo Talatonu Va’ai | SDUP | Gagaemauga No. 2 | First | |
| Manuleleua Lalagofaatasi Falaniko Leleua | HRPP | Faleata East | First | |
| Misa Telefoni | HRPP | Falelatai & Samatau | Fifth | |
| Moefaauo Lufilufi | HRPP | Anoama'a East | Second | |
| Motuopuaa Uifagasa Aisoli | Independent | Vaisigano No. 2 | First | |
| Muagututagata Peter Ah Him | Independent | Sagaga-Le-Usoga | Second | |
| Mulipola Oliva | SDUP | Aiga-I-Le-tai | First | |
| Mulitalo Sealiimalietoa Siafausa Vui | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 4 | Second | |
| Paepae Kapeli Su’a | SDUP | Aleipata Itupa-I-Lalo | First | |
| Palusalue Fa’apo II | HRPP | Safata | Third | |
| Pa’u Sefo Pa’u | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 2 | Second | |
| Safuneitu'uga Pa'aga Neri | HRPP | Gagaifomauga No. 2 | Third | |
| Sala Fata Pinati | HRPP | Gagaemauga No. 1 | First | |
| Sililoto Tolo Tua'ifaiva | SDUP | Vaimauga West | Second | |
| Keneti Sio | Independent | Sagaga-Le-Falefa | First | |
| Tapuai Sepulona Moananu | HRPP | Salega | First | |
| Taua Falaimo | SDUP | Palauli West | First | |
| Taua Kitiona Seuala | HRPP | Aleipata-Itupa-I-luga | Third | |
| Tiata Sili Pulufana | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 1 | Second | |
| Toleafoa Apulu Fa'afisi | HRPP | A'ana Alofi No. 1 | Fourth | |
| Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Lei’ataua | HRPP | A'ana Alofi No. 2 | Third | |
| Toluono Feti | Independent | Palauli | First | |
| Toomata Alapati Poese | HRPP | Salega | Third | |
| Tuia Pua Fuatogi Letoa | SDUP | Safata | First | |
| Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi | HRPP | Lepa | Eighth | |
| Tuilo'a Anitele'a Tuilo'a | HRPP | Gagaifomauga No. 1 | First | |
| Tuiloma Lameko | HRPP | Falealili | Sixth | |
| Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau | HRPP | Vaimauga East | Second | |
| Tuu'u Anasi'i Leota | HRPP | Si'umu | Third | |
| Unasa Mesi Galo | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 3 | Third | |
| Va'ai Papu Vailupe | Independent | Vaisigano No.1 | Third | |
| Vaeolenofoafia Tapasu | HRPP | A'ana Alofi No. 3 | First | |
New members
edit| Name | Party | Electorate | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letoa Rita Pau | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 2 | First | |
| Muagututi’ a Siaosi Meredith | HRPP | Aleipata Itupa-I-Lalo | First | |
| Papalii Samuelu Petaia | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 2 | First | |
| Patau'ave Etuale | HRPP | Faleata East | Second | |
| Patu Ativalu | HRPP | Vaimauga West | Second | |
| Vui Tupe Ioane | HRPP | Fa'asalele'aga No. 4 | First | |
| Ale Vena Ale | HRPP | Faleata West | Second? | |
Summary of changes
edit- On 6 April 2006, three independent MPs, Solamalemalo Keneti Sio, Muagututagata Peter Ah Him, and Lafaitele Patrick Leiataualesa joined the HRPP, increasing its seat count to 35 seats.[3]
- Pa’u Sefo Pa’u's election in the Fa'asalele'aga No. 2 seat was overturned by a court petition on 2 August 2006. His daughter Letoa Rita Pa’u Chang was elected in a by-election for the seat on 25 September 2006.[4]
- Mulitalo Sealiimalietoa Siafausa Vui's election was overturned by a court petition on 16 August 2006. The subsequent by-election for the Fa'asalele'aga No. 4 was won by Vui Tupe Ioane on 11 October 2006.
- Paepae Kapeli Sua's election was overturned by a court petition on 16 August 2006. The subsequent by-election was won by Muagututia Siaosi S Meredith on 11 October 2006.
- On 15 November 2006, following the departure of former leader Le Mamea Ropati and senior MP Sililoto Tolo Tuaifaiva, the Samoan Democratic United Party fell below the eight MPs required to be recognised as a party, and all its members have subsequently been treated as independents.
- Letoa Rita Pa’u Chang's election was overturned by a court petition on 4 December 2006.[5] The subsequent by-election was won by Papalii Samuelu Petaia on 2 February 2007.
- Manuleleua Lalagofaatasi Falaniko Leleua died on 14 February 2007. The resulting by-election was won by Patauave Etuale on 23 April 2007.
- Sililoto Tolo Tua'ifaiva died on 9 March 2007. The subsequent by-election for the Vaimauga West seat was won by Patu Ativalu on 8 May 2007.
- On 14 March 2008, Muagututi' a Siaosi Meredith and Palusalue Fa’apo II resigned from the HRPP and became independent MPs.[6]
- On 27 April 2008, twelve independent MPs including most of the former members of the Samoan Democratic United Party and two former members of the Human Rights Protection Party announced the formation of a new political party.[7] Despite having sufficient MPs, the new party would not be recognised in the House.[8] The party became the Tautua Samoa Party, ultimately with nine Members in Parliament. In May 2009, Speaker Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Lei'ataua revoked the parliamentary membership of all nine of the party's MPs, on the grounds that joining a part after being elected "breached the provisions of the Electoral Act and the parliament standing orders". Their expulsion from Parliament would prompt by-elections. Party chairman Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi stated that he would seek an interim injunction against the Speaker's ruling.[1][9]
- On 18 March 2010, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, Palusalue Fa’apo II and Va'ai Papu Vailupe refused to deny they supported the Tautua Samoa Party, and as a result were deemed to have resigned their seats and new anti-party-hopping laws.[10] By-elections for the three seats were held on 14 May 2010, resulting in Fa’apo and Vailupe being re-elected. Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi lost his seat to HRPP candidate Ale Vena Ale.
- On 2 September 2010 Satupa'itea MP Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai died.
References
edit- ^ a b "By-elections to be called in Samoa for nine vacant parliamentary seats". Radio New Zealand International. 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ^ "Head of State opened Samoa’s 14th Parliament" Archived 12 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine, EventPolynesia.com, 31 May 2006
- ^ Vaisigano # 1 constituency wants newly elected MP to join HRPP camp, EventPolynesia.com, 6 April 2006.
- ^ "New Samoa woman MP faces election petition". Radio New Zealand. 2 October 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ "Samoa Electoral court found woman MP guilty of bribery and treating". Radio New Zealand. 5 December 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ "Two MPs in Samoa quit ruling party". Radio New Zealand International. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ^ "Independent MPs in Samoa to form a new political party". Radio New Zealand International. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ^ "Newly formed political party in Samoa not recognised". Radio New Zealand International. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ^ "Change of heart forces new Samoa by-elections", ABC Radio Australia, 31 May 2009. Accessed 1 June 2009. Archived 6 June 2009.
- ^ Alan Ah Mu (18 March 2010). "Va'ai springs election shock". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2010.