Pacific

Report Samoa MPs threaten to resign if cabinet minister stays

19:38 pm on 17 February 2014

Samoa's ruling HRPP party is back under scrutiny after several MPs have again demanded the removal from the cabinet of the finance minister, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga.

The latest development comes after the chief auditor revealed in a report to parliament mismanagement and abuse of power in the administration of the Samoa Land Corporation.

Faumuina was closely involved with the corporation during a previous HRPP government.

The corporation has also failed to provide annual parliamentary reports for six years.

The former finance minister and the current chairman of the public accounts committee, Papalii Niko Lee Hang, raised concerns over the matter in the last parliament session, but this was dismissed by the prime minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.

But Papalii has told local media there is uncertainty within the party caucus over the matter.

Our correspondent says there are reports some MPs have threatened to resign if Tuila'epa does not remove the MP from cabinet.