28 Jun 2005

Samoa tightens adoption rules

4:07 pm on 28 June 2005

Samoa's chief executive officer in the for Prime Minister's Office says overwhelming parliamentary support to amend the adoption law has ruled out the need for further discussions on the bill.

Auseuga Poloma Komiti says the attorney general will now have to approve all child adoptions and agencies.

The attorney general's office says agencies will now have to comply with a new code of conduct regarding operations.

And Auseuga says future overseas adoptions can only be with Samoan nationals.

"It had appeared that there were certain adoptions done really for financial gains over humanitarian needs or considerations. So now we've plugged that hole, and that's the end of the matter as far as adoptions for profit is concerned."

Auseuga Poloma Komiti, Samoa's CEO of the Prime Minister's office