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Laws may be drafted in Samoan language

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Apia, SAMOA — Laws for Samoa may soon be drafted in the Samoan language, or Gagana Samoa, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the Law Reform Commission.

Newsline Samoa reported that Teleia'i Dr Lalotoa Mulitalo told a workshop in Apia recently that there is a push from lawmakers to draft bills in the Samoan language.

She called on senior government officials at the workshop to support the initiative as they were the policy makers and experts in their fields.

"The drafter's job is only to translate your policies into legislative rules. That's all, we do not make the policies ourselves."

She said the current process is that the law is drafted in English then handed to Cabinet for approval before it's translated to Samoan.

"I've given it a go, drafting a law totally in Samoan and I can tell you this: it was the most humbling experience.

It was like I was talking to the people...it's like I was telling a story and it removes that 'law' that's like black and white and dull," she said.