Mata'afa will lead independent

Western Samoa for third term

Western Samoa’s new parliament met for the first time on darch 14 and Prime Minister Fiame Mata’afa was elected nanimously for a third three-year term as Prime Minister. The leeting followed the territory’s general election held on Feb uary 25 when Mata’afa and all his Cabinet retained their seats -except the Minister for Education, Papalii Poumau (PIM, lar., p. 11).

its first meeting the new par liament also elected former ity Speaker Magele Ate as ker, and Tuala Paulo as Deputy ker. On March 17 Mata’afa an iced the names of his eight-man net, but said portfolios would be ated later. ic Cabinet is, Faalavaau Galu, 65, Ulualofaiga Talamaivoa, G. F. D. Betham, 51, Laufili !, 53, Toomata Tua, 61, Lesatele , 57, Tuaopepe Tame, 49 and lanuvae Eti, 43. Mata’afa him s 45, giving an average Cabinet ber age of 54. pi, Tame and Eti did not hold olios in the previous Cabinet.

New cabinet

pi is a senior MP who was ited at Government and Marist iers schools and has been in zs for 16 years. Tame, a former r, entered parliament six years ls the member for Lefaga. was born in American Samoa ic entered the Western Samoan ment in 1957 and was Minister ;alth in the first Cabinet of 1959. 1965 he headed the West Samoan dion to the South Pacific Con :e at Lae. ; new Cabinet is a strong one, PlM’s Apia correspondent. He the announcement by Mata’afa former Minister of Justice galoa Leutele had declined a ►lio for health reasons caught by surprise. itele had been a Minister since rst 1959 Cabinet and proved If a valuable member, having a fluence in Samoan politics par tly concerned with traditions, en Mata’afa announced his new et he made an unprecedented lent calling upon any nominee Felt he was not up to the job him know. )body made a move but many

felt Mata’afa was providing a graceful exit for those who might take the hint.” PlM’s correspondent noted.

Sixteen MPs lost their seats in the election.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. G.

F. D. Betham, who topped the poll in 1964 for one of the two individual voters’ seats, and has served in the House for 19 years, was headed this time by 41-year-old Peter Paul, new comer to politics and son of former Minister of Finance and leading busi nessman Eugene Paul.

Preliminary results gave Paul 587, Betham 539, Thomas Ott 424 and Peter Plowman 223.

Under Chief Returning Officer G.

Fepulea’i and his staff the elections ran off without a serious hitch. No in cidents were reported and the final results were broadcast over 2AP just after 9 p.m., about five hours after the polls closed.

Liveliest incident of the whole cam paign was a parade through the streets of Apia by a sandwich board man

ringing a bell and carrying the slogan, “Vote for Peter Plowman”.

But under the apparent calm there is increasing tension as the modern world steadily encroaches upon traditional Samoan ways.

A serious breakdown of treasured custom and tradition is evident by the increase in numbers of matai, which at 9,000 now is almost double that of six years ago.

The ludicrous situation at Vaisi gane, where in three years the num ber jumped from 125 to 1,400, gives Mata’afa and his fellow chiefs reason to ponder on the future.

The country also needs a lot more finance and investment to provide im proved living standards for its explod ing population (130,000 and expected to double within 40 years).

Fiame Mata'afa.