Three parliamentary seats held by former Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) members were declared vacant by the court this week.

Under our laws, a party member who may wish to leave his political party during the five years of his parliamentary term, must vacate his seat and seek re-election in a by-election to follow, this time, as a member of another political party.

This is fair for the electors, who had voted for a Member of Parliament and a political party that the elector also supported. 

The three ex-HRPP members had publicised widely their withdrawal from the party in 2022 to become Independents, a trick to evade the legal requirement for a by-election.  

The three have also been in constant contact with the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party MPs secretly. 

The whole purpose of the law is to discourage party hopping, a major cause of unstable governments. Similar initiatives to stop party-hopping are also on trial in other Pacific Island nations.

Political stability is essential to attract foreign investment leading to growth in economic and social development and thereby raising the standard of living of our people.

Since the inception of formal Political Parties in 1979, fewer and fewer MPs have shifted allegiance midstream. 

Some of the MPs have been bought outright with money and positions in order for the party to rule. The end thereby justifies the means. 

 Many big family businesses have wound up for a simple reason – politics.

Today, Samoa’s economy continues with its downward spiral. Good economic policies equate with good politics only when we have honest political leaders.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi

Leader of HRPP