Restoring Cabinet meetings is a sign that the work of the new Government is normalising its schedule and moving toward implementing its agenda, says Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa.

In a press conference on Wednesday at the Government Building, Fiame announced that there would be a regular, dedicated day to hold  Cabinet meetings.

“The work of the Government is coming into the second week,” Fiame said. “We hope to be regularising. Last week the Cabinet seemed to have been meeting every day.

“This week we are meeting [Wednesday] which is the dedicated Cabinet day, so this is a mark that we [resuming] the regular working of the Cabinet.”

The Government will call extraordinary or special meetings as required, she added. 

For the past week, the new Cabinet Ministers have been welcomed by the staff and senior officials of their various Ministries.

There are eleven Ministers in Cabinet after M.P. elect for Aana Alofi No. 4 Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster, resigned from his ministerial post not long after he was charged with a traffic offence.

Fiame and F.A.S.T. party founder, La’auli Leuatea Schmidt were both Cabinet Ministers under the former H.R.P.P. Government before resigning in the previous term to take on the Government in the April election.

Of the eleven Ministers two are newly elected woman M.Ps taking on some of the key ministerial portfolios. 

The majority of the appointed Ministers are elected M.Ps from Savai'i. In total they occupy eight portfolios which is a record for the big island.

“The Ministers of the new Cabinet have begun their meetings not only with the senior officials and management of their respective Ministries and authorities under their portfolios but also having the opportunity to meet with the broader service,” Fiame said on Wednesday.

“And this is very good of course for an incoming Government that these meetings can take place and for the new Cabinet to familiarise themselves with their Ministerial portfolios.”