Loau Le’afa Donald Kerslake has been officially sworn in as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Samoa during a state ceremony held on Friday, 25 July 2025.
The ceremony was presided over by His Highness, the Head of State, Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvī II, with the Prime Minister, Chief Justice, senior judges, and other dignitaries in attendance. Families, village representatives, and church ministers also gathered to witness the occasion.
In his remarks, Judge Kerslake expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice for his trust and pledged to serve with integrity and diligence, seeking guidance from God in carrying out his duties. He acknowledged the support of his parents, Tagaloa and Dr. Maria, his wife Peta and their children, as well as extended family, friends, and church leaders who have supported his journey.
Judge Kerslake also paid tribute to the spiritual guidance and blessings from church ministers and community elders, noting the importance of unity and collective support for Samoa’s judicial responsibilities.
SAUNOAGA FA’AFETAI A LE AFIOGA I LE FA’AMASINO FOU UA FA’ATAUTŌINA MO LE FA’AMASINOGA MAUĀLUGA – AFIOGA IĀ LOAU LE’AFA DONALD KERSLAKE
Aso Faraile, 25 Iulai 2025
O le a ou lē toe paopaoina fa’atupe ua muli le pa’ia o le taeao, auā o pa’ia mai le amataga e o’o i le gata’aga e lē toe napenapeina fo’i i sa’u ‘upu.
Ou te fa’atulou i le Tupua nei, Le afio o lau Afioga i le Ao Mamalu o le Mālō Tuto’atasi o Samoa. Lau Afioga i le Tama ‘Āiga, Lau Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Suālauvī II ma lau Masiofo.
Afio lau Afioga i le Tama’ita’i Palemia o le Mālō Tuto’atasi o Samoa.
Afio lau Afioga i le Fa’amasino Sili ma lou Faletua fa’apea lau Afioga i le Peresetene o le Fa’amasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.
Lau Afioga i le Fa’amasino Sinia o le Fa’amasinoga Mauāluga ma lou Faletua. Ali’i ma Tama’ita’i Fa’amasino Sinia fa’apea Ali’i ma Tama’ita’i Fa’amasino o le Fa’amasinoga Fa’aitumālō. O lau Afioga i le Sui Peresetene, Peresetene Lagolago, Ali’i ma Tama’ita’i Fa’amasino o le Fa’amasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.
Lau Afioga i le Minisitā o Fa’amasinoga. Sui o le Komisi o Galuega Tau Fa’amasinoga. Lau Afioga i le Loia Sili, fa’apea le Peresetene ma Sui o le Sosaiete o Loia a Samoa.
Susū Ofisa Sili o Pulega a Matāgaluega o le Mālō. Lau Susuga i le Resitala ma le Matāgaluega o Fa’amasinoga.
Mātua, ‘Āiga ma Uō ua fa’atasi mai i lenei taeao, o le pa’ia lava lea i le afio o ‘Āiga ma Faleupolu fa’apea Faifeau o le Talalelei.
Ua taunu’u le fa’amoemoe, o le lā’au o le soifua lea. Ua faia e le Atua lenei aso tatou te fiafia ma olioli ai, o lana valā’au i tofiga e tautua ai i le atunu’u.
O le vi’iga ma le fa’afetai. O le fa’amanū ma le fa’ane’etaga i lo tatou Tapā’au i le Lagi, e pei ona ta’imua ai i lenei sauniga mamalu i tima’iga a lau Susuga i le Fa’afeagaiga tau i le lagi i le susū ai o iē e luā, le Taofia ma le Usoali’i fa’apea le nofoitu’āiga iā Saoluafata, lau susuga Onosa’i So’o.
Fa’afetai tele
Ua mauāluga lenei Sauniga Fa’alemālō i le fa’atinoina lea e lau Afioga i le Ao Mamalu o le Mālō Tuto’atasi o Samoa.
Fa’afetai i le fa’atuatuaga o lau Afioga i le Fa’amasino Sili o lo’u nei tagata. Ma o le ā ou taumafai i le mea e gata ai e fa’atino o’u tiute o le Fa’amasino o le Fa’amsinoga mauāluga i le Fesoasoani mai o le Atua iā te a’u.
I Fa’amasino, fa’afetai tele i la tatou mafutaga fa’ale-galuega, aemaise la outou tōfā ma le fa’autautaga o lo’o fa’afoe ai la tatou galuega.
I lau Afioga i le Fa’amasino Sinia o le Fa’amasinoga Fa’aitumālō. Fa’afetai tele auā o lo’o e fa’atonu folau i la tatou galuega i le Fa’amasinoga Fa’aitumālō aemaise fo’i le soifua fa’ale-agaga.
Ua ou tula’i atu i tou luma i lenei taeao, auā sa i ai ē na tapenaina lo’u nei tagata. Fa’amālō i mātua i lau Susuga Tagaloa ma Dr. Maria i le moni o le alofa.
Fa’apea fo’i i lau afioga i le Komesina o le Gagana Samoa, Lau Susuga i le Faifeau Mālōlō Manumālō iā Rev. Vaiao Alailima – Eteuati ma le tinā iā Erolini. Mālō le fautua fa’afetai tatalo.
Fa’afetai Peta ma le ta fanau, i le lagolago i la’u galuega. Fa’apea uso ma tuafafine. I le tapuā’iga o ‘āiga, afio’aga, ekalesia ma uō, mālō tatalo ma le fa’amalosi’au.
Fa’amālūlū atu pe ā fa’apea ua lē atoa se matou fa’amatalaga, auā e i ai lava le talitonuga, o Samoa o le va’a fa’aufigatā, o le ao mamala, o le fue lavelave, o le i’a iviivia, ae talosia le alofa o le Atua, a tatala le filialii, ia to’ese a nu’u potopoto.
Manuia lo tatou taeao.
Soifua.
