There is a possibility the Political Parties will be responsible to field, a certain percentage or number of women to run for office under their banner.
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa says this is one way the FAST Administration is considering to address the issue pertaining to Article 44 1a of the Constitution regarding the minimum 10 percent of women in Parliament, by taking it to the Political Parties.
Fiame said during the PACMAS journalist masterclass conference consisting of close to 20 journalists around the region, they may have the political parties field a certain percentage of women MP’s, to avoid the issue of hung Parliament which started the political crisis that lasted months in Samoa.
As first reported by Radio Polynesia last week, the Prime Minister said FAST Government will review Article 44 1a of the Constitution regarding the minimum 10 percent of women in Parliament.
She said Samoa adopted legislation to ensure a higher level of participation and it was in 2012 that the forum leaders made the declaration for gender equality, including measures to raise the levels of participation by women, but they are now seeing the ramifications of this model.
Fiame also took a walk down memory lane and elaborated on the political parties was the vehicle which that may be one way to increases of women going into Parliament at that time.
She said in 2012 they were able to do that, because of the political party and credited the swift actions by the former Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi.