20 Nov 2009

Tautua Samoa party registered year after launch

3:42 pm on 20 November 2009

A Samoa political party started by independent members of parliament is now officially registered almost a year after its launch.

The Samoa Observer reports that the party's registration was confirmed by the Electoral Commissioner, Tanuvasa Isitolo Lemisio.

But the paper reports that none of the nine MPs who were part of the party at its launch last December are among the supporters.

The MPs could lose their electoral seats if they register themselves as Tautua Samoa members during a parliamentary term.

The Observer reports that eight supporters are required to register a group as a political party and in registering, Tautua becomes the eighth party in the books of the Office of the Electoral Commissioner.