HRPP withdraws amendments from FAST no-confidence motion

Staff Reporters/

Apia, Samoa – 5 March 2025 – The Opposition HRPP has withdrawn their amendments in support of the FAST Party motion of no-confidence against Cabinet and the Prime Minister due to be voted on tomorrow, Thursday 6 March.

The Speaker gave FAST and HRPP until midday today (Wednesday 5th March 2025) to submit their amended motions in writing after he cut short Tuesday’s session when a heated debate started with the Prime Minister questioning the process the FAST motion was accepted after parliament soundly defeated a similar motion moved by HRPP the previous week.

As today’s midday deadline approached without communication from HRPP, the FAST Party submitted its motion with yesterdays’ amendments from HRPP.

However, late this afternoon, the Speaker received a letter from the HRPP Leader, that they withdraw their amendments which now leaves the original FAST Party motion of no confidence in Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s leadership.

After yesterday’s (Tuesday) meeting, the Prime Minister met with the HRPP Secretary after she was informed by the HRPP Leader on Monday afternoon that his party was supporting the FAST motion.

However, the withdrawal of their amendments which effectively made them party to the FAST motion, now allows the FAST Party’s original motion of no confidence to be dealt with.

It is not certain if HRPP’s support remains but the move opens up the HRPP support to potential groupings within Cabinet when the motion goes to the vote.

When the HRPP’s motion of no confidence was defeated on the 25 February 2025, the FAST Leader gave Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa an ultimatum to step down before this session is over, as she no longer commands the majority of parliament.

So the majority of the FAST MPs voted to defeat the HRPP motion, to allow parliament to deal with the urgent and crucial legislations such as the Electoral Amendments and the Constitutional amendment that was ultimately passed on Wednesday 26 February by 36 to 16 votes.

The FAST Party leader, Laauli Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt, was clear when he told Fiame then that if she does not resign, then he will move a motion of no confidence against her and her Cabinet.