FAST contends constitution says 5 seats should be held by women

The leader of the Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi, or FAST party, in Samoa, expects a decision from the Supreme court by next Friday on the issue of the sixth woman MP.

The Office of the Electoral Commission appointed Ali'imalemanu Alofa Tuuau as the sixth woman MP, following the election, to ensure a minimum ten percent of the seats were held by women.

FAST, which has the same number of seats as the caretaker government, HRPP, challenged this on the grounds they electoral office had acted unconstitutionally.

It contends that the constitution says five seats should be held by women.

While the leader of HRPP, caretaker prime minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, is maintaining his policy of not talking with the media during the political stalemate, Fast leader Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is confident the Supreme Court will find in her party's favour.