By Staff Writer
The Human Rights Protection Party is going hard out to win the support of the country in urgent attempts to restore the Constitution that it alleges is broken.
HRPP leader and former PM Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is holding responsible the recent ruling by the Appeal Court to legitimize the FAST Government for the Constitutional breakdown.
“ The Friday ruling of 23 July [2021] is illegal and unconstitutional,” Tuilaepa maintained is where he believes the Constitution was overlooked.
The need to restore the powers of the Constitution and to make the country aware of why and how to do that is an immediate priority the Opposition Party, is taking on already.
The HRPP party leader’s added concerns are the damages to the respected image of Samoa in the international community.
The Supreme Court handed down a prior decision that Tuilaepa believed respected the powers of the Constitution when it denied the FAST ‘under the tent swearing in’ as unconstitutional.
The Appeals Court, however, overturned the Supreme Court decision and declared FAST the legitimate Government.
What the HRPP leader is seriously worried about is the mockery of the admired status of Samoa in the eyes of the watching world.
Tuilaepa holds the Appeals Court ruling responsible from any embarrassment to Samoa.
He wants immediate remedial actions to restore the proud image of the country.
Most important above all is for the Constitution to be respected and the powers and dignity of the Office of the Head of State honoured.
Tuilaepa admitted that one of the main reasons the HRPP agreed to step aside is to make it easier to put up a credible argument to re-establish the supreme rule of the Constitution.
“The democratic world readily accepts the general belief that justice and the rule of law must be respected, but in this situation the Appeals Court ruling is absolutely wrong.
“But it is hard for us to be credible against criticisms that we are trying to hold on to power while still staying in Government.
“As the opposition party we are in a better position now to make a credible case to the people of Samoa and to the international community that our Constitution needs urgent fixing.
“As opposition leader I call on the Chief Justice and Justices who presided in the Appeals Court to apologise to the country, Head of State, and the cultural dignitary.
“When that is done the most intelligent thing for them to do is to resign.”
Tuilaepa believes Fiame and her party would also be spared the same embarrassment with the apologies and resignations.
As opposition leader, Tuilaepa, believes there are still several loose ends in other Judiciary rulings that have to be cleared up as well.
The earlier court decision to grant legal rights to a 6th seat for a women MP and the convening of Parliament after court election petitions and by-elections is one example.
“The Head of State powers should be restored under the Constitution to convene Parliament and we should all be sworn in, including those under the tent.
“That is our intentions behind what we are doing now to make the country understand fully what is going on.”
A motorcade of vehicles did an island run in both Upolu and Savaii including central Apia last Friday 30 July 2021, to highlight the HRPP aims.
A support march of the Constitution and the Head of State will add more emphasis to the political party aims and goals.
The march is scheduled for Monday afternoon from the Vaisigano end of town, along Beach Road through central Apia and out to the Tiafau Malae at Mulinu’u.