14th Samoan Parliament

The 14th Samoan Parliament is a term of the Parliament of Samoa. It served from 2006 to 2011, and its composition was determined by the 2006 elections.

The 14th Parliament consists 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]

Initial Party standings

From EventPolynesia

	Party	Leader(s)	Seats at start
	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

Members

Initial MPs

	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	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
	Solamalemalo Keneti Sio	Independent	Sagaga-Le-Falefa	First
	Tapuai Sepulona Moamanu	HRPP	Salega	First
	Taua Falaimo	SDUP	Palauli West	First
	Taua Kitiona Seuala	HRPP	Aleipata-Itupa-I-luga	Third
	Tiata Pulufana Saunoa	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 Toomata	HRPP	Salega	Third
	Tuia Pua Fuatogi Letoa	SDUP	Safata	First
	Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi	HRPP	Lepa	Eighth
	Tuilo'a Anitelea	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

	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

• 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. Rita Pa’u Letoa was elected in a by-election for the seat on 25 September 2006.
• 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.
• Rita Pa’u Letoa's election was overturned by a court petition on 14 December 2006. 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.^[4]
• 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.^[5] Despite having sufficient MPs, the new party would not be recognised in the House.^[6] 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][7]
• 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.^[8] 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.

External links

• 14th Parliament 2006 - 2011: Members of Parliament & Ministers

References

1. "By-elections to be called in Samoa for nine vacant parliamentary seats". Radio New Zealand International. 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
2. "Head of State opened Samoa’s 14th Parliament", EventPolynesia.com, 31 May 2006
3. Vaisigano # 1 constituency wants newly elected MP to join HRPP camp, EventPolynesia.com, 6 April 2006.
4. "Two MPs in Samoa quit ruling party". Radio New Zealand International. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
5. "Independent MPs in Samoa to form a new political party". Radio New Zealand International. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
6. "Newly formed political party in Samoa not recognised". Radio New Zealand International. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
7. "Change of heart forces new Samoa by-elections", ABC Radio Australia, 31 May 2009. Accessed 1 June 2009. Archived 6 June 2009.
8. Alan Ah Mu (18 March 2010). "Va'ai springs election shock". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 19 March 2010.