'New Day' For Samoa As Government Gets To Work Months Late

Wellington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jul, 2021 ) :Samoa's new prime minister and first female leader declared a "new day" on Saturday as her government got to work after a top court ended the Pacific nation's 15-week constitutional crisis.

The country has been in a political deadlock since April, when outgoing premier Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi narrowly lost in elections and refused to cede power after 22 years in office.

But on Saturday he was reported to be removing his personal effects from the office, a day after Samoa's Appeal court ruled his party was occupying government offices illegally.

"It is a new day," said his successor Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, in her first public appearance since the verdict.

"Today, I and cabinet met with key officials to begin transition of our new government into office," she said, adding that her cabinet would formally take office on Tuesday.

There was a heavy police presence outside the parliament building and reporters were told they could not enter.

The Appeal Court ruling said Mata'afa and her FAST Party, which was formed only a few months before the election, had been the lawful government since May 24.

On that day she was sworn in at an extraordinary ceremony inside a makeshift tent after being locked out of the parliament building.