23 Feb 2011

Samoa's Le Mamea Ropati runs under HRPP banner

10:10 am on 23 February 2011

It has emerged in Samoa that the former opposition leader, Le Mamea Ropati, will be a candidate under the banner of the ruling Human Rights Protection Party in next week's election.

Le Mamea was the leader of the Samoa Democratic Party in the last election but is now being standing as one of two HRPP candidates for Lefaga and Faleseela.

Talamua Online says he was a founding member of the HRPP and entered parliament in 1982 to become the education minister under the leadership of Tofilau Eti Alesana.

He left the party in 1986 to form a coalition with Tupuola Efi who is now Samoa's head of state.

His return to the HRPP fold was confirmed when the candidates' names were made public last Friday.