Samoa PM says Former PM Tuilaepa talking rubbish ^Featured

Opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, attacked the FAST Party for staging what he called a 'bloodless coup, destroying the Constitution in the process.

He hit out at New Zealand for not supporting his HRPP party and its involvement in the appointment of five temporary judges, after months of legal battles all lost by the HRPP.

Samoa prime minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa chairing her first FAST party cabinet meeting. Photo: Eyespy Radio (Samoa) 87.5

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said its more of the 'blame game' from Tuilaepa.

"The reason they lost in court - well first of all - what they were trying to do was unlawful in the first place, and secondly their cases were very ill-prepared. So the blame game, trying to blame everyone else for their failures," she said.

Samoa's outgoing prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi supporting HRPP members. Photo: Supplied

Tuilaepa said his HRPP Party is calling on the United Nations, the Commonwealth and "all friendly Governments" to help sort out what he called the legal mess Samoa is in.

Fiame said she doesn't know "what the Commonwealth and the United Nations would do to help him when he is attacking the judiciary."

"I think the response internationally has been that the judiciary has played its role and function."

- RNZI