For the second week running, the nays have overcome the ayes and kept Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa at the helm of government leadership. Thursday was different. It was a classic ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ situation.

The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) voted to keep Fiame as the prime minister, their votes combined with the cabinet’s gave an overwhelming majority to oust the motion put in by Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party chair and leader La’auli Leuatea Schmidt. Lessons have been learnt and hopefully, now the parliament can focus on things that matter to the people of the nation.

This entire week has been a sham. Speaker Papalii Lio Masipau’s bias and impartiality were clear. It showed when he refused to entertain the motion for him and his deputy to declare their conflict of interest. It also showed when he refused to entertain a motion for him to step down and when he refused to abide by the Standing Orders that said once a matter has been dealt with for one parliamentary session, it can be brought again unless after a review.

The Speaker was told that he could not allow the motion by Laauli as it had already been decided but he would not listen because it was discussed beforehand by the FAST-majority that this was their way of taking control of the government. He was following the plans of which he was a key player. He did not care about his role as the Speaker which is to be impartial. This whole week questions his integrity and ability to continue in this role.

This is not the first time the Speaker has tried the heavy-handed tactic. It was a similar scene when he suspended the opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. This move fired back face when the court ruled that the suspension of Tuilaepa and Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi was unconstitutional and reinstated them to their seats in the Legislative Assembly.

The court also ordered that their salaries and allowances be paid from the date of their suspension. The same question comes to mind of the similar action taken by the Speaker against Loau Keneti Sio in seeking to remove him. That matter is before the courts. The Speaker’s neutrality has been put under the spotlight.

The Speaker’s continued denial to accept the points raised by Fiame, Olo Fiti Vaai and Faualo Harry Schuster also has led to the waste of a week and taxpayers’ funds. This week was supposed to have been about passing the second constitutional amendment and the changes in the Electoral Act that would allow for a smoother flow of the processes leading up to the general elections and the election itself.

The whole week was wasted because the Speaker refused to accept that the matter had already been ruled on. The parliamentarians have made the most of it by collecting their sitting allowances while matters important to the people are just pushed aside. The ceiling of a courtroom is falling and patients are now being asked to bring fans from home. The real situation on the ground is getting out of hand.

We need the parliamentarians to start going to their people. It is time that they find out the best ways to improve the lives of those who call them their representative.

The whole week also showed the desperation of some leaders to grab power. It went to the extent of an almost marriage of convenience. The whole saga also demonstrated a lack of understanding of the law and leaders trying to bend the law to take advantage of it.

Fiame on the other hand made no such moves. She followed the law to the latter. She knew perfectly well what were the scenarios at play and if she and the cabinet stuck to their guns and just followed the law, everything would pan out just fine.

Let us hope the circus is over and the clowns are at rest. It is time for parliamentarians to start doing what they have been voted in to do.