Savalenoa Mareva Betham Annandale

The government suspended the Attorney General and the Clerk of Parliament two weeks ago saying it did not have trust or confidence them.

The prime minister said she also did not accept Savalenoa's submission that neither she nor the Head of State have the legal authority to suspend or dismiss the Attorney General.

Savalenoa suggested that the prime minister could not make such a decision because having been the subject of some of the court cases decided over the last few months, Fiame was subject to bias.

Savalenoa was endorsed by Cabinet on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, made the announcement during his weekly television programme.

Savelenoa is a former public servant and worked for the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration before establishing her own private law firm.

She is also a former President of the Samoa Law Society and succeeds Lemalu Herman Retzlaff who surprisingly resigned in March after four years in the position.

Lemalu was working in New Zealand to broaden his legal knowledge and experience.