Samoan general election, 2011
Encyclopedia
A general election was held in Samoa
on 4 March 2011, in which the people elected the 49 seats of the Fono for its 15th term
. Unlike most neighbouring countries in the Pacific, Samoa has established party politics
. The major contesting parties were that of incumbent Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
, the Human Rights Protection Party
(HRPP); and the Tautua Samoa Party
(TSP), a newly formed opposition party which included candidates from recently disbanded parties like the Samoa Party
.
The result was a landslide victory for the HRPP, which secured 36 out of the 49 seats available. The TSP won the remaining 13 seats. Tuilaepa won his seat unopposed and will continue as prime minister.
Only chiefs (matai
) may stand for election to the forty-seven village-based seats, while the other two are open to anybody. Once the results of the election are confirmed, the Prime Minister
is then appointed by the head of state, the O le Ao o le Malo
.
, and a pledge to "turn Samoa into the sports hub of the Pacific". In a speech on 22 February, the Prime Minister emphasised the party's maturity and experience in government. He promised continuity in policies, and drew attention to what he described as the government's major achievements in recent years: the election of the head of state
; the development of infrastructure; economic growth, and the development of businesses and the private sector; a well-managed budget; the hosting of the 2007 Pacific Games
; the switching from right- to left-hand driving throughout the country (in fact an extremely controversial policy, which generated the largest protest in Samoan history); and the government's response to the 2009 earthquake and tsunami
. For the future, he announced a broad range of policies to improve Samoans' health, including an increase in the number of locally trained medical staff, an increase in the number of hospitals, a policy of compulsory twice-a-year testing of all Samoans to detect cancer in advance, and the promotion of organic farming, along with a "bonus scheme" to reduce the use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, to facilitate healthier diets. He stated that these promises could all be realistically financed, and concluded: "Your one vote can set the direction of Samoa for the next five years. It’s very important who you choose because you could benefit or you will bring a curse on you and your family for the next five years. So vote for the HRPP and be blessed".
The Tautua Samoa Party promised to focus on lowering the cost of living, and halting the government's Casino and Gambling Bill, which would legalise casino gaming in the country. The Value Added Goods and Services Tax would be abolished; pensions would be raised for the elderly; children below the age of 12 would receive free health care. The party also promised to "encourage farming and develop agriculture"; "lower the cost of electricity and other utilities"; " develop education and health services through the raising of salaries and enforcing compulsory education"; and promote the development of the private sector. Asked how these promises would be funded, in particular considering the promised abolition of VAGST, the party's deputy leader, Palusalue Fa’apo II
, stated that "God will provide for us", and that the party would seek additional international aid. He added that the HRPP government had "wasted millions on unnecessary developments such as the new buildings towering over everything in Apia", and that under a TSP government all public spending would be transparent and accountable.
that American Samoans who cast ballots in Western Samoa's election would be subsequently ineligible to vote in their own country. Under United States electoral laws, a voter can be disqualified from voting if they vote in another country's election.
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
on 4 March 2011, in which the people elected the 49 seats of the Fono for its 15th term
15th Samoan Parliament
The 15th Samoan Parliament is the current term of the Parliament of Samoa. Its composition was determined by the 2011 elections.The 15th Parliament consists of 49 representatives, elected from six two-seat and 35 single-seat territorial constituencies, and two non-territorial constituences...
. Unlike most neighbouring countries in the Pacific, Samoa has established party politics
Party Politics
Party Politics is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes papers in the field of Political Science. The journal's editors are David M Farrell and Paul Webb...
. The major contesting parties were that of incumbent Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi is a Samoan politician who has been Prime Minister of Samoa since 1998.-Biography:Born at Lepa, Samoa, Malielegaoi is an economist by profession...
, the Human Rights Protection Party
Human Rights Protection Party
The Human Rights Protection Party is a Samoan political party. It has been the dominant party in Samoan politics since 1982.The party was co-founded in May 1979 by Va'ai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana in opposition to the government of Tupuola Efi...
(HRPP); and the Tautua Samoa Party
Tautua Samoa Party
Tautua Samoa is a political party in Samoa. The party's policies include economic development, particularly in the agricultural sector, public service reform, a limit on the number of Associate Ministers, and a reduction in the term of Parliament from 5 to 3 or 4 years...
(TSP), a newly formed opposition party which included candidates from recently disbanded parties like the Samoa Party
Samoa Party
The Samoa Party was a small party of Samoa. The party was founded in September 2005 by former auditor-general Su'a Rimoni Ah Chong on a platform to restore the primacy of parliament. During the most recent elections on 2 April 2006, it didn't secure a seat....
.
The result was a landslide victory for the HRPP, which secured 36 out of the 49 seats available. The TSP won the remaining 13 seats. Tuilaepa won his seat unopposed and will continue as prime minister.
Electoral system
Samoa's legislative assembly, the Fono, is composed of 49 seats, each serving a five-year term. Forty-seven members are elected from the forty-one village-based constituencies (four of the larger electorates have two representatives each), while two members are elected by independent voters with no village affiliation.Only chiefs (matai
Matai
Matai may refer to:* Matai , a city and suco in East Timor* Matai, Egypt, a city in the governorate of Al Minya in Egypt* Prumnopitys taxifolia, a tree endemic to New Zealand* HMNZS Matai , a Royal New Zealand Navy ship...
) may stand for election to the forty-seven village-based seats, while the other two are open to anybody. Once the results of the election are confirmed, the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Samoa
This is a list of Prime Ministers of Samoa from the establishment of that office in 1875 until the present day.-List of Prime Ministers of Samoa :-See also:*Samoa**Politics of Samoa...
is then appointed by the head of state, the O le Ao o le Malo
O le Ao o le Malo
O le Ao o le Malo is the Samoan head of state, which is the title's rough translation....
.
Party platforms
The Human Rights Protection Party promised to focus on health, education, agriculture, infrastructural development, the development of renewable energyRenewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, and a pledge to "turn Samoa into the sports hub of the Pacific". In a speech on 22 February, the Prime Minister emphasised the party's maturity and experience in government. He promised continuity in policies, and drew attention to what he described as the government's major achievements in recent years: the election of the head of state
O le Ao o le Malo
O le Ao o le Malo is the Samoan head of state, which is the title's rough translation....
; the development of infrastructure; economic growth, and the development of businesses and the private sector; a well-managed budget; the hosting of the 2007 Pacific Games
2007 Pacific Games
The 2007 Pacific Games were held in Apia, Samoa, from 25 August to 8 September, 2007. The Games were also known as the XIII South Pacific Games....
; the switching from right- to left-hand driving throughout the country (in fact an extremely controversial policy, which generated the largest protest in Samoan history); and the government's response to the 2009 earthquake and tsunami
2009 Samoa earthquake
The 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.1 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29, 2009 . At a magnitude of 8.1, it was the largest earthquake of 2009....
. For the future, he announced a broad range of policies to improve Samoans' health, including an increase in the number of locally trained medical staff, an increase in the number of hospitals, a policy of compulsory twice-a-year testing of all Samoans to detect cancer in advance, and the promotion of organic farming, along with a "bonus scheme" to reduce the use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, to facilitate healthier diets. He stated that these promises could all be realistically financed, and concluded: "Your one vote can set the direction of Samoa for the next five years. It’s very important who you choose because you could benefit or you will bring a curse on you and your family for the next five years. So vote for the HRPP and be blessed".
The Tautua Samoa Party promised to focus on lowering the cost of living, and halting the government's Casino and Gambling Bill, which would legalise casino gaming in the country. The Value Added Goods and Services Tax would be abolished; pensions would be raised for the elderly; children below the age of 12 would receive free health care. The party also promised to "encourage farming and develop agriculture"; "lower the cost of electricity and other utilities"; " develop education and health services through the raising of salaries and enforcing compulsory education"; and promote the development of the private sector. Asked how these promises would be funded, in particular considering the promised abolition of VAGST, the party's deputy leader, Palusalue Fa’apo II
Palusalue Fa’apo II
Palusalue Fa’apo II is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is the leader of the opposition Tautua Samoa Party.Palusalue was first elected to Parliament in 1996. He served as Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Minister of Justice...
, stated that "God will provide for us", and that the party would seek additional international aid. He added that the HRPP government had "wasted millions on unnecessary developments such as the new buildings towering over everything in Apia", and that under a TSP government all public spending would be transparent and accountable.
Tu‘ula Tuitui
Less than a month prior to the election, it emerged that the Tautua Samoa Party's candidate in Prime Minister Tuilaepa's constituency might not be permitted to stand, as the mayor of his village was refusing to provide the legally necessary confirmation that he had served his village, Saleapaga. The candidate, Tu‘ula Tuitui, stated he had provided proof to the mayor that he had worked for the village in various ways, notably by taking part in recovery work after the recent earthquake and tsunami. He added that "chiefs and orators of Saleapaga ha[d] asked him several times not to run against Tuilaepa". Were Tuitui to be prevented from standing, the Prime Minister would retain his seat in Parliament uncontested. On 12 February 2011 two more candidates were prevented from standing for the same reason.Public servants
On 8 February 2011 it was reported that public servants running for Parliament had been ordered to resign, in contravention of Samoa's electoral act. The Electoral Act allows public servants to take special leave to contest elections.Eastern Samoans
At the beginning of March, it was announed by the electoral commissioner in American SamoaAmerican Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
that American Samoans who cast ballots in Western Samoa's election would be subsequently ineligible to vote in their own country. Under United States electoral laws, a voter can be disqualified from voting if they vote in another country's election.