Editorial

Abstract

This second issue for 2010 contains a rich variety of material, reflecting in part a considerable increase in the number of papers submitted to the journal. Processing the large volume of submissions has stretched available editorial resources resulting in both a few weeks delay in publication and deferral of consideration of several papers until next year. We regret those delays. There are five research papers in this issue. Desmond Amosa reflects on the important question of whether non-elected traditional local governance – in this case village governance in Samoa – meets acceptable standards of accountability and transparency normally associated with ‘democratic’ local government. He concludes that Samoa’s village councils, consisting of matai (chiefs) do indeed meet those standards and that any attempt to build the capacity of local government in Samoa should therefore involve embracing and enhancing, rather than supplanting, its long established cultural practices.