6 Jul 2021

Constitutional expert on Samoa's post-election quagmire

From Midday Report, 12:46 pm on 6 July 2021

Samoa's constitutional quagmire has been dragging on for months. That's despite Samoa's FAST party having a clear majority with 26 seats in the parliament, while HRPP -- the so-called caretaker government party -- now holds just 22 seats. The Supreme Court had ordered parliament to sit by yesterday. But late on Sunday night, the Head of State issued a proclamation renouncing that Supreme Court decision saying there was no clear majority, and saying the Court had usurped his constitutional powers. John Upton QC joins Mani Dunlop to explain what should be happening, and why the Head of State should be following the Court's rulings.