Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi

Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (lit. 'Faith in the One True God'; F.A.S.T.) is a political party in Samoa. It is led by MP Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao.[1]

Faith in the One True God

Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi
LeaderLaaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao
Founded30 July 2020

The party was registered on 30 July 2020. It opposes controversial constitutional amendments proposed by the Human Rights Protection Party government of Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, and supports a two term limit for the prime minister.[2] It also supports decentralising services to villages.[3] It has begun announcing candidates for the 2021 Samoan general election.[4]

On 28 August 2020 party leader Laauli Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt was re-elected to Parliament in the 2020 Gagaifomauga No. 3 byelection.[5][6][7]

On 2 September 2020 the party announced it would join forces with the Samoa National Democratic Party and Tumua ma Puleono parties to contest the 2021 election.[8] SNDP and Tumua ma Puleono candidates will run under the FAST banner, with only one candidate in each constituency.[9]

Following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa from Cabinet, the FAST party invited her to lead it. She declined, as she wished to complete the Parliamentary term.[10] On 13 January 2021 Mata'afa announced that she would be joining F.A.S.T. after Parliament has risen for the election.[11][12]

The party nominated 50 candidates for the 2021 election.[13] It engaged in online fundraising, and by 12 January had raised AUD$19,277 (WST$37,102.18) via Australian crowdfunding site MyCause.[14] In January 2021 it began an "election roadshow",[15] Prime Minister Tuilaepa denounced the roadshow as a "foreign practice",[16] and encouraged his supporters to gatecrash F.A.S.T. events to counter the party's "brainwashing".[17]

On 13 January 2021 former Prime Minister and O le Ao o le Malo Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi publicly backed the party.[18]

On 29 January the party revealed that it had begun talks with the Tautua Samoa Party to form a "grand coalition" to oust the government.[19]

References
  1. Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (30 July 2020). "F.A.S.T. political party officially registers". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. "FAST Aims to Limit the PM's Term in Office". Talanei. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  3. "New Samoan party calls for limit on terms for PM". RNZ. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  4. "Bus driver heeds heavenly whisper, stands for Parliament". Samoa Observer. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  5. Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (18 August 2020). "La'auli declared by-election winner". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  6. "Former Speaker tops prelim results in Samoan by-election". RNZ. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  7. Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (28 August 2020). "La'auli opens new political chapter". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  8. Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson (2 September 2020). "Samoa's ruling party faces new threat – after nearly 40 years in power". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  9. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (2 September 2020). "Parties join forces ahead of General Election". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  10. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (13 September 2020). "Fiame says she won't join another party". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  11. "Samoa's former Deputy PM to join new political party". RNZ. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  12. Soli Wilson (12 January 2021). "Fiame, F.A.S.T. to make it official". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  13. Soli Wilson (23 October 2020). "The 200 to contest 2021 general election". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  14. Tina Mata'afa-Tufele (12 January 2021). "F.A.S.T. raises $37,000 on Australian crowdfunding site". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  15. Soli Wilson (4 January 2021). "F.A.S.T. kicks off election roadshow". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  16. Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (8 January 2021). "F.A.S.T. roadshow a foreign practice: P.M. Tuilaepa". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  17. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (13 January 2021). "Crash F.A.S.T. roadshows to counter "brainwashing": P.M." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  18. Soli Wilson (14 October 2021). "F.A.S.T. roadshow rolls on to Falealili 2". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  19. Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (29 January 2021). "Opposition parties discuss grand coalition". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 30 January 2021.


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