Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi was all smiles yesterday during the celebration of the Human Rights Protection Party’s 38th birthday at Sogi.

Held at the party’s headquarters at Petesa, the Prime Minister was joined by the party’s faithful members and supporters as they gave thanks for another year. 

The celebration was well attended.

Member of the Council of Deputies, Tuiloma Pule Lameko, senior members of the H.R.P.P. and supporters from different constituencies attended the celebration.

In addressing the crowd, Prime Minister Tuilaepa, who has led the party since 1998, joked and referred to himself as an “overstayer.”

 He is one of the longest serving members of the party.

“The Human Rights Protection Party has won nine consecutive general elections,” he said. 

“If H.R.P.P. wins the next general elections, then that will be the tenth time.”

During the 2016 General Election, the party won 47 seats out of Parliament’s 50 seats.

“One reason is because Samoa has accepted huge changes that are being implemented by the government for the development of this country, not just for one person, but the wider nation,” he said.

“What’s good for Apia is also good for Savaii or anywhere else has always been H.R.P.P’s vision and mission for the many developments in the country.”

Tuilaepa used the opportunity to detail some of the developments that are critical to Samoa in going forward.

He also reminded Cabinet Ministers and H.R.P.P. members about the need to work as servants and not just sit on their comfortable chairs.

“If you forget about the Human Rights Protection Party manifesto,than that is where you start to fail the party,” he said. “This is just a reminder.”

H.R.P.P. was co-founded by the late Vaái Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana in May 1979 as an opposition to TupuolaEfi’sgovernment. 

The party began its reign in 1982 after winning the General Election.