Samoa PM

McGrath is seeking almost $US400, 000 from the SRU and its CEO Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai for wrongful dismissal and alleged defamation of character.

He was sacked in September after Samoa failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics.

SRU Chair, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, told Samoan media last week that McGrath was acting like a cry baby.

The now Canada sevens coach said the Prime Minister's comments were nothing he didn't expect.

RNZ reports Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi made the pledge this morning to civil society heads at their official breakfast meeting with the Forum Troika, leaders who are past, present and future chairs.

The executive director of the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs says she was pleasantly surprised at the support and consensus from leaders at the breakfast.

Emele Duituturaga said having a permanent civil society space for engagement with the Forum would be beneficial for the region as a whole.

RNZ reports at the airline's launch this week Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi suggested Talofa could learn from the mistakes of Polynesian Airlines.

He revealed some of the main reasons for past debt piled up by that airline including factors like employing five hundred people to work for only one jet aircraft.

Tuila'epa warned Talofa Airways not to consider church fundraising trips or church ministers asking for airfares to be paid later, saying they are not trustworthy when it comes to money.

“They’re basically going through their teething phase. You know when a newborn child first gets their fever and they take it to the hospital and they say its teething problems. That’s exactly what these two are going into,” said Prime Minister Tuilaepa.

“So there’s nothing big about it,” said Tuilaepa.

"Dear prime minister, I take this opportunity to warmly congratulate you on the resounding confidence of the Human Rights Protection Party and your re-election as prime minister following the national elections on March 4, 2016," Bainimarama said.

The Human Rights Protection Party of Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi won 44 of the 49 seats in parliament.

It was the best ever election performance for the party, which has dominated Samoan politics for most of the time since 1982.