By Staff Writer
The Appeals Court ruling to uphold the 10% equals 6 Women Members of Parliament has finally confirmed beyond doubt, the former Electoral Commissioner, Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio, was right all along.
The Appeals Court bench of Justice Rhys Harrison, Justice Sir William Young, Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala-Warren, and Justice Asher agreed with the Faimalomatumua legal interpretation.
The ruling has determined once and for all the legal number at 6 seats not 5 as it was disputed in the prolonged argument that started the political debate that continues to divide Samoa.
The Appeals Court also overruled the seat for Anoama’a MP To’omata Nora Leota as the 7th woman, upheld by an earlier ruling in the Supreme Court.
For the former Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua, the ruling closes the legal books on a matter that became the ugliest chapter in his working career with the Commission.
“The Court of Appeal decision brings a closure and pretty much solidified our position from the start,” he reacted to the ruling in a follow-up response to Newsline Samoa.
“We knew it was the right decision on our interpretation from the start, when we had time to really sit down and look through Article 44 on membership.”
But making the right decision was the easy part, announcing the official count to be legally 6 seats for women was titanic at the time.
The extra seat changes the one seat win by the FAST political party to a draw with the HRPP and a call for a return to general elections.
All the pressure sat on Faimalomatumua’s shoulders.
“It was a massive decision, but it was decision that needed to be made.
“I took onboard all the advice and took that leap forward and made the decision and ever since then, I had never doubted that decision. Right up to this day.”
Faimalomatumua’s courage took him to hell when he became the primary target of an angry FAST political party and supporters’ vindictive campaign against his decision.
He took with him his family with the intense level of public abuse he was dragged through.
He resigned early from his Commissioner’s job to take up his judiciary appointment as deputy President of the Lands and Titles.
His appointment only lasted a few short weeks when he opted to leave the public sector to go into private legal practice.
With the Appeals Court ruling proving his decision honest and truthful, does that make up for the ‘hell on earth’ he and his family were put through?
“To some extent, yes. But such “hell” revealed the real people who genuinely had your back.
“The silver lining of all that is that you ended up with real people in your corner.”
Faimalomatumua with his strong faith believes he is on a written journey, already pre-determined and he will just have “…to walk through it and trust God in His timing and plans.”
“For me I am moving forward with my plans and am enjoying where I am right now with the real people who stood by me during this whole ordeal.
“And in case I made enemies along the way, I can only say God Bless you and your families.”