16 Jan 2006

Samoa opposition leader wants overseas embassies to register voters

11:14 am on 16 January 2006

The leader of the Samoa Democratic Party, Le Mamea Ropati, is pressing the Electoral Commissioner to register Samoan citizen voters overseas instead of requiring them to return to Samoa to register for the March general elections.

Le Mamea has written to the Electoral Commissioner, Tanuvasa Isitolo Lemisio, stating that election law provides that the commissioner may appoint or make available assistants in any embassy or consulate of Samoa in a foriegn country to register voters.

The Opposition leader says the Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele, does not want overseas Samoans to vote in the election.

According to Le Mamea people who are familiar with democratic societies know that under the Tuilaepa government Samoa is not a democracy.