FAST Party welcomes Gagaifomauga No 2 Member of Parliament

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA-20 JUNE 2022: The Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi – FAST Party yesterday welcomed the newly elected Gagaifomauga No 2, Fo’isala Lilo Tu’u Ioane ahead of the MPs swearing in this morning.

Representatives of the constituency officially presented the MP in a welcome ceremony at the Maota o Samoa Function Centre.

Fo’isala Lilo Tuu Ioane won the by-election earlier this month for the constituency’s seat that became vacant when the late MP Vaele Paiaaua Iona Sekuini passed away in March.

Present to welcome the new MP, were the Speaker of Parliament, Papalii Lio Taeu Masipa’u, the Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, Cabinet Minsters and the Party MPs.

The Prime Minister is currently overseas for the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting in Rwanda, Africa.

Party Chairman, Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao welcomed the new MP and the acknowledged the constituency’s support and encouraged them to have faith and to remain strong to do right for Samoa as is the motto of the party.

Laaulialemalietoa said that before the by-election, the party met with the constituency’s representatives who indicated their support for Fo’isala and the party. But the party had already given support to its candidate based on its policies.

“I contested as an Independent at the start of this but our village decided I had to join FAST,”Foisala said.

A traditional presentation by the Gagaifomauga No 2 constituency to the FAST Party during the welcome ceremony.

He acknowledged the support of his village and constituency for making this day possible for him and said he is looking forward to delivering his responsibilities.

Fo’isala said his wish is to continue what the late Vaele had left in his efforts to help the constituency.

“We’re basically servants of our constituency and I want to continue what Vaele left off.

“In our island of Savai’i, only two things we rely on, the ocean and land and that’s what I’ll be looking at as well for our constituency.”

The new Member of Parliament is to be sworn in this morning as Parliament resumes for the 2022/2023 Main Budget debate.