Court reserves decision on appointment of District Development Council Chairs

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 17 July 2026: The court has reserved its decision on the legal challenge by the parliamentary opposition parties against the appointment of the District Development Chairpersons.

The two days hearing focused on the Human Rights Protection party (HRPP) claim that the appointment of FAST members as chairpersons for 51 districts was discriminatory. The former Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa also supported the legal challenge.

The Government’s lawyer Benjamin Keith responded that the appointments were legally done within the guidelines and policies of the District Development Project (DDP).

He made references to the Supreme court’s decision which denied HRPP’s earlier motion for an interim injunction to stop the implementation of the project until this case is over and where the court referred to the DDP Project’s Operation Manual as a living document.

He also referred to the appointment as a cabinet decision based on the result of the interviews conducted by the DDP Steering Committee.

Whilst HRPP counsel Dr. Rodney Harrison took longer with his argument, Keiths entire response was in his submission and responded only to issues raised by Harrison.

The decision is reserved.