Senator Tuaolo Fruean is wary about mounting calls for senators to be elected. And he’s urged that the Fono leaders pay attention to such calls or they will be taken by surprise ,
The Mauputasi lawmaker asked for a hearing with the Attorney General and Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga, who heads the governor’s new agency in charge of Political Status, Constitutional Review and Federal Relations.
Tuaolo, a former Election Commissioner, stated that the election of senators is being pushed as an individual right and proponents are becoming louder with their stance.
He said it’s best to bring in Attorney General Talauaga Eleasalo Ale and Tapaau so they can answer senators’ questions about this issue,
He suspects that the election of senators may be one of the reasons why the new agency was established,
Tuaolo told the chamber he doesn’t want senators to be kept in the dark and meanwhile a referendum will be put to the people on this very issue, without any notice or input from the Senate.
A change in the way that voters are selected requires a constitutional amendment.
The Fono is required to approve any change in the constitution in two consecutive terms of the legislature.
There has been no resolution passed to elect senators since the start of the 34th legislature, so its unlikely that voters will be casting ballots on this issue.
Senator Tuaolo said when Senators meet with the AG and Tapaau they can tell the officials to have American Samoa’s name removed from the United Nations list of colonies and “not to bother us anymore.”
Last year Governor Lolo asked the United Nations Committee on Decolonization to keep American Samoa on the list of non-self governing territories until such time that our people are ready to decide what form of political status American Samoa will have in the future.
