It has been more than a year and the top position at Samoa's Law Reform Commission remains vacant after the last Executive Director resigned from office in September of 2022. 

Attempts to get an update from the responsible Minister, Matamua Vasati Pulufana on the status of the recruitment process for a new Executive Director have been unsuccessful. 

However, in July of this year, Matamua in response to queries from this newspaper confirmed that the Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) had conducted a review of the core functions of the Samoa Law Reform Commission and that the search for a new Commissioner was still ongoing. 

Matamua confirmed at the time that there were three applicants, two from Samoa and one from out of Samoa and that it was up to P.S.C. to decide whether the vacant position would be re-advertised after only three people applied.

"Two from Samoa and one candidate from overseas. I understand there is no internal candidate from S.L.R.C. so the P.S.C. is working on whether they would advertise the position again, with the possibility of considering the applications from those who have applied already," she said. "For the time being, the Assistant Executive Director has been leading the Commission. 

"Her contract has ended but we have made variations to her contract so she can continue being at the helm while the recruitment process continues. That's the update I have at the moment."

The Acting Executive Director, Leauanae Sheliza Tapuai has been at the helm since the former executive director of the S.L.R.C. resigned from the position in September of last year. 

According to the Reformer Issue 2 for the year, which is an update on the S.L.R.C.'s work for the first six months of 2023, the Commission "hit the ground running" entering into 2023. 

The Commission were pressured to set their targets for the end of the 2022/23 financial year. 

The priority was to complete their long anticipated Discussion paper for the review of the Traffic Laws of Samoa, a project initiated about four years ago. 

Other projects that the Commission had achieved under the leadership of Leauanae includes, the launching of the Final Report for the Review of the Family Laws of Samoa in January of 2023, completion of the discussion paper for the Review of the Traffic Laws of Samoa which was endorsed by Cabinet in April of this year. 

Furthermore, the Commission completed a total of four consultations with key stakeholders for the Traffic Laws Review, and completed a total of 11 around the country public consultations for the Traffic Laws Review. 

The Commission's annual report for the year 2022/2022 was endorsed by Parliament in January of this year year, submitted the ministry's Quarterly report for quarter 2 and quarter 3 to P.S.C. in January and April of this year and also completed their very first Samoan Language Training in its efforts to better communicate with the communities. 

The former S.L.R.C. Teleiai Dr. Lalotoa Mulitalo-Seumanutafa was the third executive director of the S.L.R.C. since its establishment in 2008, following Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala–Warren and Leota Theresa Potoi. Teleiai was first appointed in 2016 and during her six-year appointment, she oversaw 15 projects and over 40 ad hoc projects.

The core function of the commission is the review, reform and development of laws of Samoa that promote Samoan customs and traditions as well as enhance the social, cultural, economic, and commercial development of Samoa.