By Staff Writer
Parliament is being called to session again on Monday 31 January 2022 despite lockdown restrictions to limit any group gatherings to only 30 people.
Speaker of the House Papali’i Taeu Masepa’u served notice on Friday 28 January 2022 to all 51 Members that Parliament will reconvene at 9.30am in the morning to continue where it left off because of the lockdown.
Speaker Papali’i did refer to the easing of lockdown restrictions as the reason that made it possible for Parliament to return to session but no reference to the limited grouping rule.
The Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa officially announced the suspension of the lockdown yesterday morning, Friday 28 January 2022.
While the alert level has eased up several tighter restrictions from level 3 to level 2, the Government leader specifically announced that public gatherings are to be capped at 30 people.
The decision by the Speaker for Parliament to meet, however, suggests that the Members of Parliament are exempt from the lockdown restrictions for public gathering.
The number of people in Parliament House may double with the addition of heads of Government Ministries and Corporations, staff of the Office of the Legislative Assembly and more.
Parliament was in a debate of the new Supplementary Budget when it was called off by the COVID 19 enforced lockdown order.
The level 2 lockdown restrictions are being enforced by the State of Emergency Order No. 65 signed by the Head of State.