29 Nov 2007

Samoa considers banning heavy fuel consuming vehicles

10:48 am on 29 November 2007

Samoa's Prime Minister says his government is considering banning vehicles which have less than a minimum fuel efficiency rating of 20 miles per gallon.

Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's push for a ban on heavy fuel-consuming vehicles is in response to criticisms of his government's move to switch from left to right hand drive vehicles under a new Road Traffic bill.

Tuila'epa has dismissed a suggestion from a leading opposition MP and leader of the Samoa Democratic United Party, Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai, that government MPs should sack their leader as the only solution to stop the bill.

The prime minister has told reporters that he would not leave the leadership because his party caucus had already chosen him.

He says although Asiata is publicly opposing the current proposal, his SDUP party in last year's election campaign pushed for a change from left to right hand drive in their manifesto.

The prime minister is inviting public opinions to the new road traffic bill when it goes to the parliament's bills committee.