Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is looking to plug a “loophole” in legislation which allows MPs to leave their parties and still remain an MP.
He spoke of the weaknesses in legislation designed to promote party loyalty during his weekly program with Radio 2AP.
According to Tuilaepa amending the legislation will make sure party M.P.s remain loyal to their parties for a full Parliamentary term.
Tuilaepa was speaking about the recent resignations of former members of the ruling Human Rights Protections Party who have stayed on as independent MPs.
He alluded that MPs who leave do it because they became parliamentarians for their own personal benefits.
A classic example of that according to Tuilaepa, was the Former Speaker of the House, La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt who split with the H.R.P.P. following disagreements about legislation including the Electoral Act.
“He left because he wasn’t honest with his duties as a Cabinet Minister. He only focused on running his businesses,” Tuilaepa alleged.
“We do not need these kinds of people in government. I pray that we don’t have anymore people such as those in the Cabinet.
Tuilaepa explained the legislation was designed to maintain good governance and unity within the government of Samoa.
For example, if you entered Parliament as a member for a particular party you should remain a member of that party until that Parliamentary term ends.
“The most honorable thing to do is to go back and ask your constituency whether they accept your actions or not.
“If you go back and have a by-election and get elected once again, that means the constituency has given you their blessing.
The loophole in existing legislation, according to Tuilaepa, is that it does not prevent an M.P. from leaving the political party under the banner of which they were elected.
“So we are now looking at restricting that from happening”, he said.
