10 Jul 2009

Reinstated Tautua Samoa MPs remain unpaid

4:47 pm on 10 July 2009

MPs of the Tautua Samoa Party say they are yet to be paid although the Supreme Court last week reinstated them to their parliamentary seats.

A spokesman for the party, Aeau Peniamina, says they have not received paychecks since they were removed from parliament by the Speaker on May the 29th.

He says he believes the court ruling, which declared that the Speaker's move was illegal, should have automatically restored all their benefits as parliamentarians.

The Speaker is overseas and his deputy, Laauli Leuatea Polataivai, says he is waiting for a written ruling from the Chief Justice.

He says nothing can be done until he has a written decision.