The decision by a Human Rights Protection Party candidate to switch his support to the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party hasn’t surprised the ruling party’s leadership.

Tavu'i Asiata Tiafau, who previously ran under the H.R.P.P. banner in last month’s general election, wants to be endorsed by the F.A.S.T. ahead of the 21 May general election that the Head of State has announced. 

However, caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi, in a recent interview with the 2AP radio program, said that Tavu'i still wears H.R.P.P. colours as a candidate but wants to ‘sing’ for the F.A.S.T. party.

“These things happen,” said the caretaker Prime Minister. 

“The snap election which is conducted within a month and they will have to use the old (candidate) registries.

“There is no time to go through registry process again so the candidates will have to run under the party they had initially registered.

“if you registered with H.R.P.P. that means you are a candidate for H.R.P.P. same thing goes with F.A.S.T. candidates.”

Tavu'i and at least eight elderly chiefs of Satupaitea met with the F.A.S.T. party officials at their office headquarters last Wednesday.

They were greeted by the party chairman La’auli Leuatea Schmidt; Deputy Chairman, Olo Fiti Vaai; Treasurer, Leatinuu Wayne Fong; Secretary, Va'aaoao Salu Alofipo and Vaisigano No.1 Member-elect Niuava Eti Malolo.

Tavu'i contested the seat of Satupaitea and ran against another H.R.P.P. candidate and caretaker Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Fio Purcell. 

(Lautafi later claimed the seat with 502 votes while Tavui garnered 440).

(A snap second election following the 9 April election poll was announced last month for 21 May. The decision by the Head of State to call a fresh election to break a 26-all tie between the two dominant political parties is currently the subject of a Supreme Court legal challenge).

During his program, Tuilaepa said the snap election would be conducted and be based on registries for the 9 April 2021 general election.

As reported earlier, during the meeting with the F.A.S.T. party executives, the Satupaitea chiefs expressed regret at their failure to provide support for the party during the general election, saying that contrary to their prior discussions with Tavu'i to run under the F.A.S.T. flag, he had already decided to contest under the H.R.P.P. flag.

In response, La’auli assured that there were no hard feelings against the village. However, he expressed his disappointment at Tavui's failure to honour their agreement to run under the F.A.S.T. party banner in the April general election.

And while expressing his appreciation for the meeting, La’auli told the village chiefs that Tavu’i is registered as a H.R.P.P. candidate and anti-party hopping laws prohibit him from joining the new party.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer following the meeting, Tavu'i said the decision to approach F.A.S.T. was long due.

"As soon as we were defeated on Friday [April 9]... but even if we won that Friday, I know we would have taken the same steps we took today," he said.