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What's the deal with women in Samoa's Parliament?

Soooo Uncle Tui and his HRPP government want to change the law to reserve 5 seats in parliament JUST for women. Sounds good right?

The opposition Tautua party doesn't think so... why? A few pretty decent reasons, actually:

In typical Uncle Tui fashion, nobody asked the public for their opinion on the matter.
Many villages in Samoa still dont allow women to be matai, and you can't get into parliament without a title
Samoa's constitution already allows women to run for seats in parliament

It looks like Tautua is still supporting the increase of women in government, but they just want this done with a little foresight and order.

Let's just hope Tautua sticks to their guns this time and doesn't just give up like they did with the driving law and the time change thing... *sigh*

Samoa opposition against reserved parliamentary seats for women

The Tautua Samoa opposition party is strongly opposed to the Samoa government’s move to amend the constitution to allow for parliamentary seats for women.

The government wants to establish five seats for women, but Tautua Samoa says the public’s views on the issue should have been sought through a referendum.

The opposition leader, Palusalue Fa’apo II, says the government should first fix the problem that some villages do not allow women to hold a matai title, which is a must for any parliamentary candidate.

Full Story: RNZI

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Permalink Reply by JJW on February 8, 2012 at 7:17pm

pretty deceptive amendment to the law.. why on earth they would like to put a limit on the number of seat for women? they should have all seats available to be contested by both men and women..:P

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Permalink Reply by Hamo Geek Girl on February 8, 2012 at 7:57pm

Ooohhh good point!

I always had this feeling you were secretly smart.

:rotfl:

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Permalink Reply by JJW on February 9, 2012 at 6:47pm

LMAOooooo no! not smart.. kalepe most likely..hahahaha. se malo Geek.

These laws only cause friction and contention among women.. and within party line.hahaha. I mean can you imagine having ten women who want to run in the same election.. but now they have to campaign within their own party first to be selected to run the election before campaigning within their own districts for vote..hahahaha seems unfair for the ladies..LMAOooo

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Permalink Reply by Mocker on February 9, 2012 at 3:18am

Small steps. As in many cultures Tradition binds society stronger than law. Is the title of Matai bound more by Tradition or by Law? Culture determines how a person or group of persons think and behave, and at present the Cultural mindset of the Samoan society will not allow for all seats to be available for women. However it is a step in the right direction and will hopefully lead to equal rights. Many things need to change and it will take time. Small steps. :)

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Permalink Reply by JJW on February 9, 2012 at 6:58pm

I actually didn't know that we have unequal rights, but many things have change in our culture and tradition, even fine mats (lau**lavao) the law forbid these to be used in cultural functions and fa'alavelave..except ie tele (large fine mats) foreigners who know nothing about our culture and language holds matai title names.. but it seems we just crack open the door and say hello ladies and the close the door..hahahaha. But Samoa is founded on God, and the first missionary of the gospel was not a man it was a woman, when Jesus told Mary go tell my disciples that I have risen.. why not Samoa if we are founded on God?..hahahaha.

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Permalink Reply by Liutautai Le'upolu-Lei'ataua on February 10, 2012 at 6:36pm

I, for one, am very encouraged by this new intervention for a place like Samoa. There are villages in Upolu that forbid women from holding matai titles in their village, discriminatory! Anything about Samoa is subject to some kind of viewing rating... It must be rated RR to the eyes of men, and it must be a threat for the uneducated men out there who consider running for parliamentary seats just to get a job.
Here we go women, we can move this mountain and get it levelled with our equals: MEN.. : :rulez:

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Permalink Reply by कＮＡＵＴＩＣAक on February 11, 2012 at 12:15am

well move that mountain and try it yourself see if you can match the blokes in the sachick parliment :rulez: :rulez: :rulez:

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Permalink Reply by °°♥VEE_VEE♥°° on February 11, 2012 at 12:34am

sa'o ai loa le pese a usher - moving mountains lol

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Permalink Reply by JJW on February 11, 2012 at 9:46pm

Good for you Liutautai for knowing that you are equal with men, and unfortunately not in the same level yet..hahahahaha..Not sure where this mind set of not allowing woman to hold titles (matai), when Salamasina and Tau**u both held all major titles of Samoa as they were both ruler of Samoa in their time..:P

But what mountain are you trying to move? are you trying to move Tuilaepa? I have a feeling that you will fail..hahaha.. He is too big of a mountain to move..hahahahaha.. LMAOOOOoooooooo

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Permalink Reply by Sumo on February 14, 2012 at 8:55pm

they only want women in there to blame things on......not to mention......(some people having alot of time on their hands....cough)

c'mon who are we kidding?......

ITS A SET UP!....

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Permalink Reply by JJW on February 16, 2012 at 4:31pm

You can't blame a small group that don't have the number to defeat a bill, all they want is to look good and be champions of something that they don't believe in..hahahahaha. but if you don't get in there you'll be blame for not taking advantage of the opportunity give to women..hahahahaha..

LMAOOOOOOOOOOooooo

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Permalink Reply by Synergy Norton Fa'atasi on February 20, 2012 at 2:16pm

aui; - SSSSHHhhh, kiki mai lalo le channel, ole ga'o le ONE le alu i oo, GOSH :L:

U've gotta look @it from the OPPOSITING's point of view, if that's the correct spelling, CARRY ON!..
I mean, one without the other, there's just NO COMPET there, there's just MEN overpowering men, over powering other men with causes that they then say, IS THE WOMEN's, aui; - "Did a ny 1 capture that?".. I didn't, and I WOULD capture it, when the seats reserved are packed up with WOMEN, not to mention one of them women, should be from the MEDIA, a ea :L:,

ae aa?! B-)