28 Nov 2006

Samoa's SDUP considers legal action against speaker

4:30 pm on 28 November 2006

Samoa's Democratic United Party is considering legal action against the speaker's ruling that the party is no longer recognized in parliament as a political party.

The ruling last month also rejected the party's request for the standing orders to be amended to allow the SDUP's seven MPs to be recognised as the Opposition following the resignation of its former party leader, La Mamea Ropati, and another senior MP.

The new leader of the SDUP, Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai, says there are strong legal grounds for the speaker's ruling to be questioned again in court.