By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Of the many lifetime lessons our widening political quicksand has taught us so far, one that stands out most is that truth is not necessarily fact.
Truth is how the facts are interpreted. As we have learnt already, the more the facts are read, inferred or construed, the more the truth varies.
The more variations of the truth the more the facts become distorted through manipulation as the truth.
After a while the facts become muddled and jaded and no longer seem relevant
Our raging toe-to-toe battle of power for political rule is undeniable proof of that.
The Appeals Court ruling last Friday is a classic.
The Supreme Court went over the facts of the ‘under the tent swearing-in’ of the FAST political party and found it unconstitutional so was voided.
The Appeals Court reviewed the same facts and found the swearing-in perfectly legal so they upheld it and essentially installed the FAST political party as the new Government.
Same facts different variation of the truth to contradict what is right and what is wrong.
Unfortunately, there are serious consequences to all the uncertainties created by the conflicting interpretation of the facts and what they represent as the truth.
The Friday ruling is already showing signs of sucking us deeper into this infernal quicksand of instability and uncertainties.
Now that the Judiciary has encroached into what are supposed to be boundaries of rule inside the Legislative Assembly, Executive and the Office of the Head of State, what will become of all that?
These are supposed to be the independent pillars of rule in Government.
To say there is a lot of confusion there now is putting it mildly perhaps, especially for us simple, ordinary folks.
After all the complaints and appeals by the HRPP to the Judiciary Service Commission for judges to be recused, including CJ Perese, the Appeals Court ruling is going to make that even worse.
Since the truth favours the FAST political party in the Appeals Court interpretation of the facts, where is the justice for more than half the voting population of Samoa who voted for HRPP?
Where is the truth in those facts?
Before the Appeals Court Friday ruling, the deputy leader of the HRPP, Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo, worried that we have moved further and further away from the simple arguments that started everything.
Based on personal observations his simple answer to all the political and legal complications of the current situation is to give it a clean break and start fresh with new elections.
“As politicians we get our mandate from the people to govern, that is the basic rule of democracy,” Fonotoe reasoned.
“It is unfortunate the stage we are in where it seems like there is always something new happening everyday.”
Politics aside, his extensive legal background as a lawyer and as a long serving political leader, gives his opinion the respect it deserves.
Now that the court has handed the reins of rule on a silver platter to FAST as the new Government we are as curious as Fonotoe.
What new thing is waiting to happen at the start of the working week next Monday?
There are still so many loose ends dangling all over the place, it is unlikely to stop or slow down the drift away from where everything started, as Fonotoe said.
This court ruling is not going to provide any immediate answer or more importantly relief, to our political predicament.
We still have to hear an official reaction from the HRPP party but it would be a surprise if it is not defiant.
The Head of State’s role is ruled ceremonial. As far as the Appeals Court ruling is concerned, it can be performed by others as it did with the FAST ‘under the tent swearing-in’.
His proclamations have been usurped despite his strongly worded advice in the past against it.
There is now an obvious need to clarify the role of the Head of State and the Constitutional powers vested in his Office.
We can all agree that never has our Constitution been challenged as it has and continues to be since we ‘drifted further and further away from where all this started.’
We will have to wait and see. This outward drift into the far horizon of unexplored and unexploited political territory is still in motion.
But it was heartwarming to see Tuilaepa enjoy his ukulele with his HRPP evening serenaders.
Thank you Lord for the man’s leadership.