Samoa political turmoil: Challenge to party removal reported

Samoa's prime minister and five other ousted members of the ruling FAST Party are reportedly challenging their removal.

FAST chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt on Wednesday announced the removal of the prime minister and five Cabinet ministers from the ruling party.

Twenty party members signed for the removal of Fiame Naomi Mata'afa and five others, including Deputy Prime Minister Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio and two original members.

Samoa media outlets reported that, in a letter dated January 17, one of the removed members, Faualo Harry Schuster, wrote: "We all reject the letter of termination as relayed as unlawful and unconstitutional."

In the letter, which was circulating on social media, he claimed they were still members of the FAST party.

Local media reports had suggested members of the FAST party had called for Fiame's removal as prime minister.

Meanwhile, the Government's Savali newspaper confirmed the removal of 13 associate ministers of Fiame's Cabinet.

"The termination of their appointments stem from the issue of confidence in the Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa to continue work with the associate ministers, as well as the associate ministers' expression of no confidence in her leadership," it said.

"The official statement emphasises that the functions and responsibilities of the Executive Arm of Government continues under the leadership of the Prime Minister — Fiame Naomi Mata'afa and Cabinet."

Fiame had last week removed three members of her Cabinet, after she also stood down La'auli, who was facing criminal charges.

Parliament was scheduled to reconvene on January 21.

rnz.co.nz