A new $5 million courthouse in Salelologa in Savaii will centralise proceeding on the island instead of people making trips to Mulinuu in Upolu. 

$5 million is allocated in the new financial year budget for 2024-2025 and is a major development for the Ministry of Justice Courts and Administration (M.J.C.A.) in Savaii. 

The Chief Executive Officer for M.J.C.A., Papalii John Taimalelagi was pleased to say that once the budget was approved by the Parliament the tender process will begin. 

Papalii said the land is located near the Ministry of Police lot and Samoa National Provident Fund (S.N.P.F.) office in Salelologa and in close proximity to the market. 

The current courthouse in Savaii is located in Tuasivi and the proceedings presided over are mainly connected to the Land and Titles Court and District Court. 

“The District Court in Savaii sits every two weeks and Land and Titles Court cases are presided over everyday there,” Papalii said in a telephone interview. 

“There are also cases in the Supreme Court that will take place in Savaii. It is the Chief Justice's hope to have all cases arising from Savaii to be dealt on the island, especially in Salelologa where it is central and convenient for every one.” 

The tender process is tentatively planned to start in July and Papalii foresees this will take about six months and the actual construction work will likely start in January next year. 

In 2018 the Government allocated $2 million in M.J.C.A. budget to relocate the Tuasivi courts to Salelologa and there were also plans to build the Ministry's office in a separate building which will serve as the judge’s residence. 

The C.E.O. was also asked about the current state of the Mulinuu Court House as well as its recording system with recording devices being used in courtrooms to record proceedings. 

In response, he said the new financial year budget also has funding allocated to upgrade the recording system. 

“The recording system will also be tendered…it is a court of record and it is important that the records are properly stored but for now we have a temporary recording machine.” 

The 2024 -2025 budget allocated for M.J.C.A. is $22.6 million in total which also includes $450,000 for legal aid service.