Committee to submit recommendations in December

By Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong 01 October 2020, 9:00PM

The Special Parliamentary Committee tasked to solicit public feedback on Government-sponsored legislation to restructure the judiciary is likely to submit its recommendations to Parliament in December.

The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Tiatia Graeme Tualaulelei, told the local media outside the Tofilau Eti building that the Committee is likely to submit its recommendations on the proposed changes at the end of the year

He said they received about 20 written submissions which the Committee will go through over the next two weeks before it wraps up its work.

Tiatia confirmed there are 187 villages in Upolu and Savaii that appeared before the Committee, not including four villages that had asked for more time to decide their positions on the three bills.

The bills include the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2020, the Land and Titles Bill 2020 and the Judicature Bill 2020.

According to the Clerk, a total of 207 submissions already presented comprised written and village submissions, but did not include individuals who made oral presentations on the bills. 

“The major work that is left now is compiling the report and recommendation for Parliament,” said Tiatia. 

“The Chairperson and Committee is looking to prepare those reports properly and submit them in December. There is no rush in that especially on parts of the bills that they are looking to amend…”

When asked what was the general view from those that filed submissions, Tiatia said he would rather leave that until all the other submissions have been heard, including those from the remaining villages that asked to present again.

The Clerk did the briefing with the media after a press conference with the Committee on Thursday was cancelled until all the submissions are done. 

By Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong 01 October 2020, 9:00PM

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