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Clik here to view.The Australasian Law Reform Agencies Conference (A.L.R.A.C) 2014, being hosted by the Samoa Law Reform Commission, was officially opened yesterday.
Held at the Samoa Convention Centre, the conference is guided by the theme ‘Challenges of Law Reform in the Pacific’.
Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, stressed the importance of law reform in the country and some of the challenges that law reforms in Samoa face.
“Samoa’s participation in the conference coincided with the establishment of our Law Reform Commission in 2008,” he said.
“An establishment that gave expression to our government’s commitment to insist on the mandate of the United Nations reform of the law to ensure its relevance and fairness, that it is accessible by all and sensitive to traditional values.”
“Our customs and traditions to the law reform recognise the importance of the environment of our community, and social factors in the arts and business of law making and law reforms.”
Issues and challenges of law reform in Samoa are comprised between religious freedom and the authority of village councils in the Village Fono Act 1990.
“In Samoa’s experience, this is a significant challenge, of striking an appropriate balance between modernising the laws and taking into account our traditional values and local customs.”
“Conferences like this will continue to stimulate regional and international cooperations,” said Tuilaepa.
“Law reform will be able to convince the government of the improvements that must be made to the laws and they are responsive to the needs of our country and to protect the rights of our communities”.
Executive Director of the Samoa Law Reform Commission, Leota Theresa Potoi, said that sharing experiences is extremely important.
“It’s a gathering of a lot of great minds and it’s an opportunity for all the different countries here today to get together and also for us to make networks, establish good relationships and forge new relationships with pioneers of law reform in other countries and different agencies,” she said.
“We can learn from them and they can also learn from us.”
Six countries including Samoa are taking part in the conference.
“We are a very young organisation so we are still trying to get up there,” said Leota.
While most of the conference will focus on how customary and contemporary laws mix, there will also be a presentation from Prof. Geoff McLay, from the New Zealand Law Commission on “How emerging technologies are impacting on law reform – focusing on NZ review of new media and cyber bulling.”
Other issues being discussed include: Customary Law vs. Western Law, Challenges to Customary Law and the Way Forward.
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