18 Nov 2005

Samoa PM won't apologise over comments to IPU team

4:30 pm on 18 November 2005

The Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele, says he will not apologise to the Inter Parliamentary Union.

Tuilaepa had called two female members of the IPU mentally retarded.

It followed an investigation by the IPU after the Opposition approached it over the way the Government was acting in Parliament.

The IPU has said the Prime Minister's comments are discourteous and sexist, but Tuilaepa has told the Samoa Observer there is no need for an apology.

He says international organisations should not be meddling in the affairs of Samoa's Parliament.

Tuilaepa says the IPU report was a ploy to discredit the government.