Coalition Announces Single Candidate Policy as the ‘Winning Strategy’ for 2021 General Elections
03 September 2020, Apia Samoa.
Three political parties have joined forces and form a coalition in the lead up to Samoa’s 2021 general elections.
The three party coalition have agreed on a single candidate policy that they say is the winning strategy for 2021.
FAST (Faatuatua i Le Atua Samoa ua Tasi) together with SNDP (Samoa National Democratic Party) and Tumua ma Puleono, have signed an agreement to join together under one name.
The group made the announcements in a press conference held at the FAST headquaters in Tuanaimato on Wednesday afternoon, broadcast live by Talamua Media.
Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt addressed the country about the merge, confirming that members of the three parties would all come under the FAST banner.
He explained that candidates from all three parties would run under the banner of FAST, with the main focus of supporting single candidates within each constituency.
The respective constitutions and manifestos of parties would remain separate.
“O le maliliega lea ua taunuu iai la matou faatofalaiga, o sui uma o le SNDP faapea le Tumua ma Puleono o le a o uma i lalo o le fu’a a le Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi;
“Ae tumau lava faiga faavae a vaega faaupufai ma a latou manulauti.”
Laauli added that the coalition has an open invitation for other parties to come on baord if and when they are ready.
“O ai a pati e toe fia omai i totonu e tatala pea le avanoa.”
Laauli said the coalition and subsequent agreement has come after meetings between party leaders and members of the three political parties, to discuss an election strategy for 2021.
Laauli said the focus of their strategy is to support a single candidate, and not have multiple candidates from the same political party running from the same constituency.
“E tasi uma matou e filifili i sui, ona matou o lea e ave le sui e tasi. A faapea o le sui o le SNDP lea ua aumai ae matou vaai atu e malosi, e leai se sui o le FAST ma le Tumua ma Puleono e avea, ae lagolago uma i le sui lea.”
He also said that they would choose wisely, for the person that these three parties agree to run and give their support to.
“This will avoid having more than one candidate from a party competing in a constituency.”
“A lea o le a matou filitupetoa, e le faia se loto o se suitauva, o le tautinoga lena lea ua matou malilie uma iai, e fili poo ai e agavaa, o ai fo’i le tagata o loo mafuli iai le lagolago a le itumalo o le tagata lena e ave, ma le agaga ma le talitonuga o loo iai le faatuatuaga.”
Laauli says it is all about the number – the winning number.
Laauli is flanked in leadership by SNDP leader Valasi Tafito Selesele and the leader of Tumua ma Puleono Malaeolevavau John Peterson.
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