Parliament to address Report on why different versions of the Bills

Staff Reporters

APIA, SAMOA – 19 JANUARY 2022: Parliament will soon address the Report by the Clerk of the House that investigated why there are different versions of the Bills presented to Parliament for passing and those handed to the Head of State for signing and made available to the courts and the public.

In particular are the Land and Titles Court Act 2020 and the Constitutional Amendment 2020 that impact on the recent appointment of the Deputy President of the Land and Titles Court.

The Speaker of Parliament, Papali’i Li’oTa’eu Masipa’u addressed the issue as one of parliament’s very first business yesterday.

He said the issue was first referred by the Attorney General to his office last December hence an investigation by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. The report of the investigation was tabled by the Deputy Speaker.

But as the Sanding Orders gives precedence to the Supplementary Budget, the Report will not be discussed until the Supplementary Budget is passed and dealt with by parliament.

Speaker’s Full Address of the issue in Samoan.

But Speaker Papali’i Li’o Ta’eu Masipa’u warned MPs not to mention or refer to the Report in their budget speeches until the Report is up for discussion by the House.

The Speaker announced that there is public confusion as it seems there are different versions of the legislations being sold and made available to the public from the ones posted on Parliament’s website and those used by the Attorney Generals office.

“This is an urgent matter and given its implications on the general public and the proceedings of the courts, I thought it proper to address it early as this is a matter for the prerogative of Parliament to ensure the honesty and justice of the court proceedings,” said the Speaker.

When the matter became public, the Attorney General said that according to the records kept by the AGs office, there are differences between versions of the Bills presented to Parliament for passing and those handed the Head of State for signing.

A significant issue rooted in the differing versions of the legislations, is the recent swearing in of the Deputy President of the Land and Titles Court by the President despite the absence of a Commission to make such an appointment.

Despite the legal opinion from the Attorney General given the Minister of Justice and Courts Administration regarding the intended swearing in, the ceremony went ahead and seemed to be based on a different legislation.

In Parliaments first day of sitting, three new MPs completed their maiden speeches with the fourth, Aiono Tile to continue his speech when parliament resumes this morning.