Universal Suffrage in Western Samoa: The 1991 General Elections

Since 1962 Western Samoa has been an independent state with a parliamentary system of government. The one-chamber parliament consists of a House of Assembly with 47 members, whose composition and method of election has reflected a specifically Samoan form of political democracy which blends tradi tion with modernity. In terms of both eligibility for election and eligibility to vote at elections, a dual system operated until 1991 . Of the 47 members of parliament (MPs), 45 were required to be matai (chief) elected by a system of matai suffrage, while two were non-matai representatives elected by individual voters under a system of qualified adult suffrage. The introduction in 1 99 1 ofuniversal non-compulsory suffrage to elect the 45 matai MPs transformed the electoral system by entitling all persons aged 2 1 years and over to vote for matai candidates in their electorate, thereby ensuring that all citizens have equal political rights in the election of parliament, and that all members of parliament represent, and are responsible to, their constituency and to the overall Samoan population. Thus, universal suffrage may be regarded as a giant step in the process of democratizing Samoan politics and in legitimizing parliamentary rule. Nevertheless, it should be pointed out that the composition of parliamentremains unaltered: only matai are eligible for election to 45 of the 47 seats in parliament; the political system continues to be based on both traditional and modem forms

The Role of Ballot Chiefs (Matai Pälota) and Political Parties in Samoa's Shift to Universal Sufferage

Sämoa shifted to universal suffrage only in 1990, after 28 years of independent self-government under a system in which only matai (chiefs or family title-holders) were entitled to vote or stand as candidates. During the matai-only franchise era, increa

Beyond Governance in Samoa: Understanding Samoan Political Thought

In the Samoan polity today, the indigenous institution of the matai (chiefs) continues to play a pivotal role in governance. In determining leadership, the fa‘asämoa (Samoan way) and the fa‘amatai (way of the chiefs) are the most influential factors. Yet this has not prevented Sämoa from experiencing governance problems found in other countries of the region, although perhaps on a lesser scale: misunderstanding, frustration, alienation, migration, discrimination, malpractice, patronage, and violence. Reasons for this may be (1) a lack of correspondence between fa‘asämoa and liberal democracy; (2) a lack of general understanding and critical assessment of the principles of liberal democracy in Sämoa; (3) a combination of misuse, abuse, or misunderstanding of fa‘asämoa; and (4) a lack of publicity and critical assessment of the principles of fa‘asämoa. This paper examines aspects of these four characteristics of the Samoan polity and looks at ways of reassessing governance. It draws on literature that deals with some of the main features of Samoan political thought, as well as on discussions with Samoan scholars and thinkers. This introduction to a different approach to Samoan governance also briefly reviews some of the political forces and tensions at play in Sämoa to show how they impact current political conceptualization

Samoan public sector reform: views from Apia and the villages

Some Pacific Island governments struggle to provide peace and social stability or deliver essential services to their citizens. This is clearly not the case in Samoa. By any standards, Samoa is a peaceful and orderly society and the Samoan government is competently delivering a wide range of basic services to Samoans throughout the country. It isn’t perfect: there are service gaps and inefficiencies, rumours of corruption, and vigorous debates amongst Samoans themselves about the quality and probity of their government. But Samoa is frequently cited as an example of how the government of a small island state with limited resources can maintain harmony and good service for its citizens