Days after what has variously described as a political crisis, a coup, and a nation divided, Samoa has shown itself unwilling to be moved by these descriptions.

We have remained unyieldingly calm despite the fact that all the ingredients for political unrest have been laid out. Let us hope it remains so.

With only a couple of exceptions, the players in the saga that has been playing out before us have played their roles with virtue. They have resisted the temptations of seizing power by creating disorder in the street - an admirable restraint rarely shown by politicians in the midst of uncertainty or a power vacuum. 

We would be remiss to make an exception here to call out caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi. 

Though stopping short of the above, he has thrown around words such as treason as if they were utterances without major consequence. He too has attacked, in the most personal of ways, the only institution which has shown itself willing to lead the country out of this mess in the judiciary. 

But like the boy who cried wolf, Tuilaepa’s tendency towards vicious and uncivil attacks has robbed his speech of its power when he perhaps needs it most. 

The Prime Minister-elect, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, has by contrast been cool and composed and assured the world’s international media of the independence of Samoa’s judiciary and saved its international reputation. 

But these competing political figures are in reality two figures who float above the level of the streets which, mercifully, remain calm.

The actions of our nation’s Police force since the events since Saturday night has played a hugely important role in ensuring that contests of arguments remain just so and do not descend into anything more damaging.

We applaud the actions taken by the nation’s Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil for everything he has done to maintain order at a time when it is at risk.

At Monday’s ad-hoc swearing-in, Police had Parliament surrounded. 

This was mistaken by many, including the international media, as a sign that they were enforcing the legally dubious claim by the Speaker of the former Parliament, Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi, that he had the power to overturn a Supreme Court order calling for Parliament to be opened. Not so.

The Police were in attendance as a safeguard, fulfilling their usual role as the line that keeps civilised society from chaos. 

It was a most encouraging moment to see Fuiava, dressed in civilian clothes but wearing his badge, personally escort the judiciary on their walk from the courthouse to the Parliament building.

That brief walk spoke volumes. 

The Police force, the on-the-ground enforcers of law and order, walking side-by-side with those who adjudicate on its contents, stood out as a moment of great symbolic importance even on a day that was not short of them. 

Police and their actions, of course, carry extra significance in moments such as these. When political disputes reach an impasse often those involved seek to call upon and exercise their physical force to resolve matters while bypassing laws and the limits of the constitution. 

But Fuiava’s further comments have also given us encouragement as we face an uncertain future. 

He has acted in a manner that befits the station of his office but also its principles and has shown that the power of the Police, so long as they remain under his watch, will be exercised only to serve the people of Samoa, its judicial institutions and its constitution.

“We are really honoured to perform our function as the primary law enforcement of Samoa,” said Fuiavailiili. 

“As you know as law enforcement, we are supposed to enforce the law and we don’t take sides. “We treat everybody the same. 

“So today is just a display of our commitment to peace, and civility as we go through the process.”

Noble sentiments, indeed.

But Fuiava’s remarks went further and it was these that carried a particular significance. 

“We are here to protect the citizens of Samoa and the constitution,” he said. 

“We have called up everything we have.

"And we will continue down that road for as long as it takes.”

At any other time, sentiments such as these might be taken as predictable and expected. 

But when the nation’s constitution has been under attack by the powerful, swearing a public oath to protect it at any cost is a courageous thing indeed.