Apolima gets in early for the 2017 vote

10 May 2016
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Apolima at work in the Tokelau Apia Liaison Office in May.
Law student Apolima Tamoa from Atafu is currently doing a 4-week attachment with the Office of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau (OCOG). One of Apolima’s tasks is to update the Referendum Registration List. For this she will be using the Elections Registration List from the 2014 General Election and also the 2015 By-election in Fakaofo. This work will lead up to preparations for the general elections in 2017 and also for the elections rules review that is planned for some time in the third quarter of this year.

The attachment is part of Apolima’s 6-month training to complete her professional certificate at the University of the South Pacific. When done she will admitted to the bar in Fiji, a flexible degree that will allow her to work in most Pacific jurisdictions. This will then complete Apolima’s legal training, which began with studying law in Vanuatu for 4 years.
Apolima’s special interest lies in exploring to what extent the Tokelau constitution and law book are “independent" law or still subject to New Zealand approval, as Tokelau is a territory not independent. She will have plenty of opportunity to investigate, being bonded as she is for 2 years to Tokelau upon completion of her studies that were supported by the Government of Tokelau Scholarship Scheme.