Samoa Governance Information

Type of Government:

Mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital city:

Apia

Administrative districts:

11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Population:

217,083

Independence :

1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

Year of Constitution:

January 1, 1962

O le Ao o le Malo (Chief of State):

Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi (since June 2007)

formerly: Malietoa Tanumafili II (since 1 January 1962; died May 2007)

Prime Minister:

Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1998)

Deputy Prime Minister:

MISA Telefoni (since 2001)

Ministers:

THE CABINET PORTFOLIOS

Ministry of the Prime Minister

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi


Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Commerce Industry and Labour

Misa Telefoni Retzlaff


Minister for Women

Fiame Naomi Mataafa


Minister for Police & Prisons

Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi


Minister for Works, Transport & Infrastructure

Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau


Minister for Natural Resources & Environment as well as EPC, Water, Airport Authority

Faumuina Liuga


Minister for Finance

Niko Lee Hang


Minister for Revenue

Tuuu Anasii Leota


Minister for Health

Gatoloaifaana Amataga Gidlow


Minister for Communications and Information Technology

Mulitalo Siafausa Vui


Minister for Education, Sports and Culture

Toomata Alapati Poese


Minister for Justice & Courts Administration

Unasa Mesi Galo


Minister for Agriculture, Forestry & Fish

Taua Kitiona

Parliament:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)

Electoral System:

Plurality/Majority (First-Past-the-Post)

Most recent election:

31 March 2006

Previous elections:

4 March 2001

Political Parties:

Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP)

Samoa Christian Party (TCP)

Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP)

Samoa Party (SP)

Samoa Progressive Political Party (SPPP)

Judicial System:

The judiciary consists of the district court, the Lands and Titles Court, the Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeal. The district court has jurisdiction over matters involving values less than WST$10,000(US$4,000) and criminal offenses with penalties less than five years. The Lands and Titles Court has jurisdiction over all lands and titles cases. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over matters of more than WST$10,000 and criminal offenses with penalties of more than five years. The Court of Appeal is the highest court. It has appellate jurisdiction only and can review the rulings of any other court. It is composed of a panel of retired New Zealand judges and sits once a year for several weeks. ²

The Court of Appeal has a limited jurisdiction to hear only those cases referred to it by the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the Head of State on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

International Memberships

African, Caribbean , and Pacific Group of States (ACP)

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Commonwealth of Nations

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

Group of 77 (G-77)

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

International Criminal Court (ICCt)

International Development Association (IDA)

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)

United Nations (UN)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

University of the South Pacific (USP)

World Customs Organization (WCO)

World Health Organisation (WHO)

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

World Trade Organisation (WTO) - observer

Sources:

(1) The US Central Intelligence Agency World FactBook - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ws.html

(2) http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78789.htm