Ariddia
19-12-2007, 15:38
So what's the big issue in Samoa these days? The one that's been dominating the headlines for weeks and is the main headline of today's Samoa Observer?
No, you're way off the mark. It's not that at all. The big issue in Samoa is whether cars should drive on the left or on the right.
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6285/tbd2an4.jpg
Samoans demonstrate against government plans to make them drive on the right.
The protest against Government’s right hand drive (RHD) switch is not over with the handing to Parliament of their petition.
Convenor of the People Against Switching Sides (PASS) Toleafoa Solomona Toailoa told Members of Parliament at Ti’afau that the march and petition was the second step.
The first step was the public meeting several weeks ago, which resulted in a PASS committee being created, he said.
But he didn’t elaborate on what future action PASS will be taking to press their case.
The change Government wants to make will affect everybody, even the babies of this country, Toleafoa said.
Cheers went up from supporters when Toleafoa said legislation as important as the one being proposed required the leaders of a democracy to seek the view of the country.
One of the more popular banners carried by an estimated 12,000 marchers yesterday said “Na fesiligia au?” or “Was I asked?”
Toleafoa later told Samoa Observer, “It was the biggest march in our country since independence.”
On behalf of Parliament, Speaker Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua, wanted Toleafoa to hand over the petition personally.
Toleafoa did, planting a kiss on the cheek of the Speaker and doing the same with the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice and Courts Administration, Unasa Mesi, who were sitting nearby.
“There are over 33,000 signatures,” supporting their petition, Toleafoa said.
The forms containing the signatures were delivered to the Speaker in seven small boxes.
Also among the items delivered to the Speaker were CDs containing information which for MPs to view. He told the Speaker those were the signatures that they were able to gather at this time.
But there are numerous others that will be gathered and delivered later “to tell you and the Prime Minister and Government “what the country wanted.
Toleafoa directly asked Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoli’ai Sa’ilele Malielegaoi to show love for the country.
“We too love you and your Government,” he said.
Tolofuaivalelei responded by saying the matter was clear and the Prime Minister, Cabinet and Parliament have heard what the protestors had to say.
(link (http://www.samoaobserver.ws/local/LNPages/1207/1807ln001.htm))
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7387/tbdfk3.jpg
In what was one of the largest rallies in Samoa's history, up to 7000 people marched on the Pacific nation's parliament in Apia, angry at government plans to make cars drive on the left.
Samoa, colonised by Germany and then New Zealand, currently has left hand drive cars that travel on the right.
But Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi has led a push to bring his country into line with Australia and New Zealand, meaning right-hand drive cars would gradually replace current models.
He believes it would mean cheaper cars being imported into Samoa and make it easier for Samoan expats living in Australia and New Zealand when they return home.
"Harmonising our laws with those of New Zealand and Australia will make our people better prepared for any better paid driving jobs like driving heavy-duty vehicles or machineries in those countries without having to undergo any more familiarisation training.
"Our relatives visiting from New Zealand and Australia will also benefit as they will not have to adjust to driving on the opposite side from that they are used to," Tuilaepa said in a recent speech.
Editor of the Samoa Observer newspaper, Mataafa Keni Lesa, said the leaders of today's march presented a petition to the parliament with nearly 40,000 signatures on it.
"They marched towards the parliament building even though it was raining. Everybody was wearing white and many wore T-shirts that said `say no to RHD'," he said.
There was a strong police presence but the march was peaceful, Lesa said.
(link (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4328777a12.html))
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/3600/tbd3ns2.jpg
Don't you just love a country where the only hugely controversial issue is what side of the road to drive on? :)
No, you're way off the mark. It's not that at all. The big issue in Samoa is whether cars should drive on the left or on the right.
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6285/tbd2an4.jpg
Samoans demonstrate against government plans to make them drive on the right.
The protest against Government’s right hand drive (RHD) switch is not over with the handing to Parliament of their petition.
Convenor of the People Against Switching Sides (PASS) Toleafoa Solomona Toailoa told Members of Parliament at Ti’afau that the march and petition was the second step.
The first step was the public meeting several weeks ago, which resulted in a PASS committee being created, he said.
But he didn’t elaborate on what future action PASS will be taking to press their case.
The change Government wants to make will affect everybody, even the babies of this country, Toleafoa said.
Cheers went up from supporters when Toleafoa said legislation as important as the one being proposed required the leaders of a democracy to seek the view of the country.
One of the more popular banners carried by an estimated 12,000 marchers yesterday said “Na fesiligia au?” or “Was I asked?”
Toleafoa later told Samoa Observer, “It was the biggest march in our country since independence.”
On behalf of Parliament, Speaker Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua, wanted Toleafoa to hand over the petition personally.
Toleafoa did, planting a kiss on the cheek of the Speaker and doing the same with the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice and Courts Administration, Unasa Mesi, who were sitting nearby.
“There are over 33,000 signatures,” supporting their petition, Toleafoa said.
The forms containing the signatures were delivered to the Speaker in seven small boxes.
Also among the items delivered to the Speaker were CDs containing information which for MPs to view. He told the Speaker those were the signatures that they were able to gather at this time.
But there are numerous others that will be gathered and delivered later “to tell you and the Prime Minister and Government “what the country wanted.
Toleafoa directly asked Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoli’ai Sa’ilele Malielegaoi to show love for the country.
“We too love you and your Government,” he said.
Tolofuaivalelei responded by saying the matter was clear and the Prime Minister, Cabinet and Parliament have heard what the protestors had to say.
(link (http://www.samoaobserver.ws/local/LNPages/1207/1807ln001.htm))
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7387/tbdfk3.jpg
In what was one of the largest rallies in Samoa's history, up to 7000 people marched on the Pacific nation's parliament in Apia, angry at government plans to make cars drive on the left.
Samoa, colonised by Germany and then New Zealand, currently has left hand drive cars that travel on the right.
But Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi has led a push to bring his country into line with Australia and New Zealand, meaning right-hand drive cars would gradually replace current models.
He believes it would mean cheaper cars being imported into Samoa and make it easier for Samoan expats living in Australia and New Zealand when they return home.
"Harmonising our laws with those of New Zealand and Australia will make our people better prepared for any better paid driving jobs like driving heavy-duty vehicles or machineries in those countries without having to undergo any more familiarisation training.
"Our relatives visiting from New Zealand and Australia will also benefit as they will not have to adjust to driving on the opposite side from that they are used to," Tuilaepa said in a recent speech.
Editor of the Samoa Observer newspaper, Mataafa Keni Lesa, said the leaders of today's march presented a petition to the parliament with nearly 40,000 signatures on it.
"They marched towards the parliament building even though it was raining. Everybody was wearing white and many wore T-shirts that said `say no to RHD'," he said.
There was a strong police presence but the march was peaceful, Lesa said.
(link (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4328777a12.html))
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/3600/tbd3ns2.jpg
Don't you just love a country where the only hugely controversial issue is what side of the road to drive on? :)