Opposition leader ordered to leave parliament for 24 hours

Author: Raj Keresoma

Apia, Samoa – June 19, 2024 – Opposition Leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was ordered to leave Parliament for 24 hours this morning and should return to the sitting later tomorrow morning.

The order stemmed from a heated argument between Tuilaepa and the Speaker, when the Speaker told Safata 1 MP Leaana Ronnie Posini not to answer questions from Deputy Opposition Leader Lauofo Pierre Meredith.

Leaana spoke on the budget and recounted his own experience on an Air New Zealand flight where he said Samoan passengers were discriminated against in the way they were seated on the aircraft.

He said older people were assigned seats at the back while younger passengers were seated at the front. He related the experience to the positive side of Samoa having its own aircraft, which avoids discrimination on airlines in other countries.

Samoa’s Minister for Air Services, Laitinu Wayne Soialo, later clarified that international aviation practice is that the seat a passenger takes on an aircraft is the seat that the passenger pays for and is responsible for. He said this has nothing to do with discriminating against any passenger.

Laolf intervened and asked Lyanna a question, but was stopped by the Speaker and asked Laolf to sit down several times, but Laolf continued to speak.

Laofu eventually complied with the Speaker’s order and sat down, but Tuilaepa took the floor and asked to be allowed to speak.

The Speaker wanted to know who Tuilaepa’s intervention was directed at.

“For you,” Tuilaepa said.

“No, I will not allow it,” the Speaker said.

However, Tuilaepa went on to clarify that any mistakes must be corrected – “Any mistakes must be corrected”

Before Tuilaepa could finish speaking, the Speaker ordered him to sit down because “he had no right to correct the Speaker”.

The argument became heated, with the Speaker and Tuilaepa speaking at the same time in raised voices, until the Speaker stood up, pointed at Tuilaepa and asked him to sit down; but Tuilaepa continued speaking.

Agriculture Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao then intervened and asked for calm as parliament was listening.

He then moved a motion to expel Tuilaepa from the meeting.

The motion was seconded and then the Speaker asked a question which was carried.

Laofu tried to move a motion for Tuilaepa to leave the debate seat but failed and the Speaker ordered him to sit down.

Tuilaepa also tried to speak but the Speaker said the decision had already been made.

Tuilaepa then left parliament and was banned from entering for 24 hours.

After the morning break, the Speaker explained his decision, saying MP Leaana’s question about the plane seat had been answered by the Minister of Samoa Airways. But he did not allow the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to ask questions directly to the MP who spoke.

Parliament will continue to discuss the 2024/2025 budget tomorrow.