More than 20,000 Samoans march against the proposal to drive on the left. Photo / Supplied
More than 20,000 Samoans march against the proposal to drive on the left. Photo / Supplied
KEY POINTS:
More than 20,000 Samoans marched on their Parliament yesterday in protest at plans to make them drive on the other side of the road.
At present Samoans drive with left-hand-drive vehicles on the right side of the road, as in continental Europe and the United States. A proposedTransport Bill will switch that to the left side of the road - as in New Zealand - leading to a phase-out of left-hand-drive vehicles.
The march is the third public gathering against the bill by the People Against Switching Sides (PASS).
The protest brought the voice of the people to the forefront yet again, this time to interrupt a session of Parliament at Mulinuu originally planned to discuss the bill, now at its third reading stage.
Protesters, again led by prominent lawyer Toleafoa Solomona Toailoa, sat on the field when they arrived at the Parliament grounds.
The Prime Minister, Tuileapa Sailele Lupesoliai Malielegaoi, said in a live broadcast from inside the Parliament building: "We cannot possibly continue with today's session while those people are making so much noise outside.
"I suggest we break for the day, go back to our offices and the Speaker of the House address them."
The third reading of the bill has been set down for today.
