Samoa’s Attorney General, Savalenoa Mareva Betham-Annandale is digging her heels in as Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa questions her not taking action against opposition attacks on the country’s judiciary.
PM Fiame had given Savalenoa until 4pm last Friday to respond to her demands in a letter dated Auguist 4, 2021.
Newsline Samoa reports Savalenoa responded by the deadline set by Fiame giving no responses to her questions but suggesting instead that they meet in person to discuss matters raised in her letter.
Fiame reminded Savalenoa that it was her duty as Attorney General to defend the integrity of the judiciary against attacks like the ones being made by Opposition Leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
“My job is to advice the Government and if the roles were reversed then the lawyers working for their party would do the same work I am doing if they were here where I am,” said the AG.
She said the current political situation in Samoa has brought the good, bad and ugly from Samoans in and outside of the country, is in exercise of their freedom of free speech and expression under Article 13 of the Constitution.
The AG also pointed out that freedom of speech is, however, not absolute.
“What can be done is that we make an assessment of what has been said, what meets the threshold for an offence, what requires a complainant, and what I can initiate on my own.”
Photo: Newsline Samoa
