HRPP Party

With the political stand-off now in its 14th week the FAST party, which won a majority of seats in the April election, is waiting on the outcome of contempt suit, along with other legal matters.

Tuila'epa is named alongside the speaker of parliament, the clerk of the legislative assembly and the attorney general for ignoring a Supreme Court order to convene parliament.

In the motion, Tuila'epa is also accused of undermining the judiciary through disparaging comments.

The parties met yesterday in Apia to try and resolve the stalemate resulting from the 9 April election.

In a statement last night, Fiame maintained that FAST held the majority of 26 seats to the HRPP's 25.

She said these FAST members had been sworn in, with a cabinet appointed and speaker and deputy chosen.

The HRPP leader, caretaker prime minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi continued to claim the result was not clear because 10 percent of 51 members or six women representatives in the House had not been achieved.

However, neither leader would be drawn on the substantive details of this afternoon's discussions.

"This is only the beginning," said the leader of the Fa'atuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, after meeting with her counterpart, the leader of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

"It is important for Parliament to convene given the Appeals Court decision has been delivered and there is a sixth seat instead of five, but again I cannot give you details because we are just beginning the negotiations," she said.

Following yesterdays Court of Appeal decision, both the caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and FAST Party leader Fiame Naomi Mata'afa announced they plan to meet.

But it is clear their intentions are miles apart.

Speaking on TV3Samoa yesterday, Tuilaepa acknowledged the decision to void the appointment of a sixth woman MP meant his HRPP has 25 seats to FAST's 26.

Fiame told local media that with those numbers, they will be looking to meet with Tuilaepa to discuss his departure from office.