FILE PHOTO : Voters on Polling Day at one of the voting booths in the urban based electorates.
By Staff Writer
Early general elections are likely if there is any truth to reports that the non governing group in the FAST party breakup is now in favour of one.
The opposition Human Rights Protection Party leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, is made aware of the swaying reaction.
“From what I heard, the Laauli led group is already talking about support for a return to the polls,” HRPP opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told the local media this week.
The ongoing general elections call is led by Tuilaepa at concerns over the break up of leadership loyalties inside the ruling FAST party.
The PM Fiame Naomi Mataafa with the smaller group is responsible for running the Government, while party chairman Laauli Leuatea Schmidt leads the party caucus.
“The FAST party breakup in leadership has sunk too deeply it is beyond recovery,” Tuilaepa asserted.
“There is no other option left but to return to the people for a re-start.”
With only a few months left before the full 5-year term of Parliament runs out, snap elections is not the preferred option.
For Tuilaepa the suggested course to follow is to bring the general elections forward.
“Too costly to hold snap elections now with our scheduled general elections to follow only a few months later,”
The weight of a final decision is on the shoulders of PM Fiame to advice the Head of State of the need to call general elections.
An earlier attempt by the opposition party for early elections failed when they were unsuccessful in Parliament with a vote of no confidence against PM Fiame.
“If they had voted in support of our motion of no confidence in the House, we would have solved all our political issues by now,” Tuilaepa reminded.
Church leaders are believed by the opposition leader to be leaning heavily towards early general elections.
If all attempts failed to speed up the election process to end the political turmoil, the final option is for the Head of State to make the call for a return to the polls.