Senate approves new board/ commission members

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Prior to Senate’s six-week recess, they approved the Governor’s nomination of new members to the Election Board.

They are Siutu Savusa, Miriama Seumanutafa, Aiono Nedley Matatutia, Tualatai Laumoli, and Christian Faataitai.

They were approved unanimously on the last day of Senate session on Sept. 30, 2022, after the hearing where the Senators did not ask questions but urged the witnesses to carry out their duties with honesty.

Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga also  sought the Senate’s approval for the Campaign Spending Commission.

The appointees were Alex zodiacal Susan Tau, Divine Iuli, Dora J Ah Sue. According to the bill, each members would serve a term of four years beginning the date of his letter, Sept. 28, 2022.

In other Senate news prior to going on recess, a House bill that amends the Marriage Bill was put before the Senate.

The proposed measure seeks to remove the minimum 30-day wait after issuance of a marriage license to conduct a marriage ceremony by authorized and ordained representatives.

The current law requires individuals to wait at least 30 days and not more than 90 days after the issuance of their marriage license before they are married. 

 “This presents various problems for the general public; and individuals should not be required to wait 30 days prior to being married.

 “Individuals should be allowed the flexibility, convenience and the freedom to marry as soon as their marriage license is approved; and there are numerous reasons why individuals may want to get married sooner than 30 days.

 “The couple may already be pregnant and they wish to be married before their child is born so the child has both of their names on the child’s birth certificate.  Travel restrictions under COVID-19 have also shortened individuals’ time frames for getting married; and all Samoans are members of a larger family structure.

The measure says that Section 1- 42.0105 is amended to read: “42.0105 marriage ceremony. “At any time not more than 90 days after the issuance of a marriage license, any minister of any Christian religion duly appointed or ordained and duly registered in the office of the Registrar of Vital Statistics, or any Samoan Associate Judge, or the Associate Justice or Chief Justice, may marry the parties.

“The presence of at least two witnesses is requisite for the due solemnization of a marriage.”