HS Consulting, Pasefika Spinoffs with Loabay Online

14/12/2024

✍️We Need Competent Leadership at SNPF!🇼🇸

The announcement by the Chairman of the Samoa National Provident Fund that it intends to launch a compulsory national health care scheme to be funded through the contribution of its members and employers is raising a lot of questions.

Why is the scheme suddenly launched at this time?

Has the government decided to cut off further medical assistance, including funds for the overseas referral of patients for specialized treatments?

Prior and meaningful consultations with the contributors and employers affected is a fundamental ingredient of good governance which Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa had so often prescribed as a guardian star for every project of her government.

This proposal to fund a health insurance scheme through SNPF contributions will reduce the monthly benefits for members’ and will further limit access to emergency loans for their children's education, home repairs and the many family fa'alavelaves.

To impose an extra 6% charge on the contributions of SNPF members and employers at a time when the ordinary Samoan is struggling to meet the high cost of living is both high handed and arrogant.

And to describe public consultations with contributors and beneficiaries that were poorly attended as a "success," is further evidence of this high handedness.

The fact that no electronic or printed detailed information was circulated for members to review, lacks all accountability and transparency.

Who will benefit from the scheme?

How will members access it?

What insurance or Management Company will manage such a scheme?

Which hospitals will be paid under the scheme to provide the services?

Based on what we have already experienced with the million-tala district project scheme, we won’t be surprised if daylight discriminatory treatment will again show its ugly head!

The scheme, which was introduced by the current Chairman of the SNPF Board in 2005, was abandoned by the HRPP administration because of the impact that it would have on both the contributors and businesses.

It now seems that he is back at it.

The Chairman doesn't seem to care that the public has no more confidence in the Fund's management.

Under the current SNPF leadership, we have witnessed the non-transparent approval of high-risk loans.

SNPF members are experiencing difficulties and delays in accessing short term loans for family emergencies.

This was a dependable protection system, initiated by HRPP administrations that benefited both civil servants and private sector employees.

There has been interference with the daily management and operations of the Fund, which has always been entrusted to competent CEOs and professional staff.

Last week, we read of SNPF cheques bouncing, the first time this has happened in the 52-year history of the Fund.

This is yet another example of poorly informed and misguided investment schemes.

As taxpayers and contributors to the SNPF, we want to spend wisely our taxpayers' money and contributions on national hospital infrastructure and services instead of sham projects.

For the past forty years, these health services have been provided by previous administrations without having to touch the SNPF hard-earned contributors’ funds.

That is the difference between visionary leadership and the blind leading the blind.


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor; Saturday 14 December 2024 -]

08/12/2024

✍️Not Again! What Next?🇼🇸🤔

This week, we learned with great concern of the detention at Auckland Airport of both the Speaker and the Minister of Justice.

A few days ago, it was the opening of an over-priced, unnecessary regional airport built for show and lacking basic drainage systems, costing taxpayers $25 million tala!

Before that, we witnessed the forced illegal takeover of government land at Faleolo by the village of the Minister of Lands, now used for their taro plantation.

The Minister had already denied any knowledge of this illegal act.
We also saw Prime Minister Fiame’s outright reject assistance for the citizenship rights of Samoans abroad, citing confusion over our independent status and laws that already permit multi-citizenship for all Samoans.

The picture is clear.

No one is in control, and no one seems to know what to do.

Normally, one might expect leaders in such disarray to resign.

But stepping down is never an option for this government. Why?

Is it because they want to make the most of their remaining time, regardless of the consequences?

Meanwhile, unresolved scandals pile up.

Nothing has been done about the illegal entry of the pleasure boat Kyte Runner, the landing from American Samoa of an uncertified overseas airplane, the 400-acre land scam, or the questionable American Samoa cash payments involving a government minister.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange issue remains unaddressed, as does the long-awaited court decision on a key witness who was apprehended by Police at the Speaker's law firm, who could shed light on the murder of Tuau.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Samoa now finds itself categorized as being worse than the poorest-run African nations in modern times.

What more embarrassments are in store to shock the Nation over the next 12 months?


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor (2) Sunday 8 December 2024 -]

06/12/2024

✍️Out of Sight Out of Mind!🇼🇸

We all enjoy a good laugh when we see the touring Samoan Dancing and Singing Politicians in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States again, and again and again since 2021, dressed as the Tongan national rugby team.

Humor is the Pacific way of handling awkward and embarrassing situations!

But behind the laughs is a dangerous threat.

Our government leaders are talking over the heads of our local people and communities, directly to overseas audiences about what they think are our problems.

The local Samoans have become invisible.

Our people experience daily struggle with poverty, drug epidemic, electricity shutdowns, increasing violent crime, and sky-high cost of living are not being discussed with the locals who are living in this reality.

It is as if 200,000 Samoans in Samoa do not exist.

The discussions held in fancy banquet halls overseas do not focus on solving the real struggles in Apia, our villages and communities.

Instead, everyone else is blamed for our struggles that have worsened over these last 4 years.

Even targeting our local people as a cause of these problems.

Our locals are seen as incompetent and backward.

They have demoralized and politicized the civil service.

They continue to undermine our traditional village and community leadership through their proposed constitution amendments.

And national development is sacrificed for narrowly focused village projects resulting in deteriorating electricity and hospital services, poor roads and the list goes on and on.

We must engage the diaspora in constructive discussions on the development of our nation, building on the common values and history that bind us together as one people.

It is the government’s responsibility to protect its people, not criticize or divide them.

As the focus and priority is now firmly set overseas, the local Samoans have simply disappeared and ignored.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The trust between the people of Samoa and its government is broken.


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor; Thursday 5 December 2024 -]

01/12/2024

✍️The greatest fear is fear itself🇼🇸

On 12th December 2024, a huge celebration party is scheduled in Aotearoa for the passage of the Citizen Restoration Bill in the NZ Parliament for Samoans born between 1924 and 1949.

It is a landmark decision, and credit must be given to those New Zealand parliamentarians who voted in favour of the Bill and to Greens MP Teanau Tuiono for introducing it.

Recognition and appreciation must also be given to the outstanding mobilization and outreach efforts of the Mau Sitiseni and the team headed by the Hon. Anae Arthur Anae and his Team.

However, there is a hollowness that overshadows the celebrations as the Restoration Amendment Bill falls short of correcting one of the darkest injustices in New Zealand history and restoring the legal rights of a generation of Samoans.
Sadly, this was enabled by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa who continues to show a lack of vision and opposition to the human rights of all Samoans.

Instead of throwing her support behind the citizen restoration movement, she bowed to the fear of sudden mass migration and brain drain.

Every country in the world faces brain drain.

They manage its impact strategically and with action plans.

We offered practical solutions in our submission to the Citizenship Committee.

First, the Samoan government must push development projects to create employment.

Secondly, the government being the biggest employer should adopt employment policies to provide guidelines for engaging the best qualified and honest Samoans most suited for top management positions.

The Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi government is doing neither of these.

There are no major development projects that would generate local employment, and they are making political appointments to key civil service positions, resulting in decisions that make no economic or practical sense.

Also, Samoans cannot help but see a cynical and punitive side of the Restoration Amendment Bill.
The cynicism comes from the low success rate of Samoan applications under the existing quota system and the bureaucratic visa application process.

Based on this, what chance of success was there for a 79- or 100-year-old Samoan’s application for New Zealand citizenship?

By denying their descendants the same rights to citizenship, New Zealand delivered a final punishing blow to this generation of Samoans.

Most, if not all of them, lived in hope that their children and grandchildren would have the same opportunities that they themselves were denied.

Spain, Portugal and N**i Germany are countries in history that revoked the citizenship of their Jewish populations that was later restored to their descendants.

As a democratic country, New Zealand does not want to be on the same list as those dictatorships.

But to distinguish itself, New Zealand must rise above the racism and xenophobia that drive such injustices.

When Hon. Vaai Kolone returned to Samoa in 1982 from his fateful meeting with PM Robert Muldoon where he gave in to the pressure to accept the Annual Quota Protocol to replace the citizenship of Samoans, he faced a motion of no confidence vote in the HRPP caucus.

This was averted by the elder MPs who called on us to respect the first Prime Minister of the Party.

In hindsight, that would have been a far more honourable exit to his leadership than the disgraceful termination by the Courts several weeks later in an election petition.

Samoa does not need leaders who govern from a position of fear.

Franklin Roosevelt reminded us, there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

Fearlessness is at the core of every Samoan, we proudly sing it every day,

“Do not be afraid, God is our foundation and our freedom!!”


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor (2), Saturday 30 November 2024 -]

29/11/2024

✍️Uniquely Samoan Opposition🇼🇸

Samoa is the only nation in the world with a Parliament that has a full-time opposition and a part-time government.

The opposition comprises two sections, one blue and the other red.

In the blue section is the Human Rights Protection Party, serving as the loyal opposition to the Head of State's government of the day, and taking a court ordered break after 40 years of service to the people of Samoa.

This part of the opposition is based in Apia and focuses on pertinent issues that are relevant to all Samoans, here in the country.

In the red section is the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party, loyally serving as the opposition to the ghosts of previous HRPP administrations.

Their job is to blame all of today's problems on yesterday's governments.

This part of the opposition is mostly overseas based and focuses on fundraising and on creating big problems in Samoa, neighboring American Samoa, and wherever they go.

Using today’s technology, Cabinet Ministers and their Associates conduct meetings through the internet whilst sightseeing and fundraising throughout the 10 corners of the globe.

Occasionally, a group of FAST politicians will meet in the Prime Ministers conference room to approve a couple of cabinet papers for their next overseas trips plus a few million tālā for their favourite projects and constituencies.

Then, they disappear for a few months.

This is Samoa's version of a "shadow government."

HRPP administrations had always encouraged opposition parties to organize themselves and challenge the policies of the government.

It is good to see FAST Party members continuing to do that to this very day.

That advice has paid off handsomely.

Samoa now has the very first political structure of its own.

And it is so good that we don’t even need a full-time government.

We must be the envy of all the other democracies.


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor; (1) Thursday 28 November 2024 -]

24/11/2024

https://youtu.be/FPjTECFTq_E

✍️Simple Maths🇼🇸

During the so-called 2021 Samoa "constitutional crisis," a senior Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party advisor famously said that the "maths" on the Constitutional 10% provision for women representation didn't add up.

It was the same maths that decided the Samoa Airways aircraft lease agreement wasn't profitable.

The same maths was probably used to calculate the cost-benefit analysis of the $255,000,000 million tālā district projects.

That is the problem when advisors who have never managed an economy or balanced a national budget pretend to be "maths experts."

Let us give Cabinet advisors a simple maths problem to consider.

What percentage of cabinet ministers are in the country dealing with 100 per cent of the nation's problems?

The answer is 26 percent.

Think about it.

Four Cabinet Ministers are trying to manage the electricity shutdowns, a drug epidemic, land disputes, out of control crime, flooded airports, a coastal environmental disaster, and heaven knows whatever else is brewing in the shadows.

While the rest are dancing and singing their way across the United States and the world.

A bus running at 26% engine capacity will never reach its destination.

The oil will clog up, fuel will run out, tires will go flat, and the poor Samoan passengers will have to get out and push!

At this rate, we will never catch up to our problems.

That is the real maths.

God help Samoa.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor; Sunday 24 November 2024 -]

https://youtu.be/FPjTECFTq_E

24/11/2024

16/11/2024

✍️Talk Globally, Act Locally🇼🇸

I am often asked about the most memorable encounters that I've had while travelling all over the world meeting leaders, experts, our Samoa diaspora and people of different and interesting cultures.

It is true that my professional career and life in public office has offered me the privilege and honour to represent Samoa at some of the most important events in our time.

Signing the Paris Agreement and the adoption of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and SAMOA Pathway were such occasions when a small nation takes its place amongst the most powerful in the world.

It also marked the extraordinary work that our Samoan experts and civil servants had done to bring us to that stage.

For many, it marked Samoa's coming of age as a contributor at the global discussion, and not simply a participant.

To see many of our Samoan experts continuing to contribute and lead at today's global events on economic, social and environmental issues is immensely rewarding.

While travelling on our official government business, we were able to find innovative ideas to help us resolve tricky situations!

The idea to convert the Tuanaimato Sporting Complex into the conference centre for the 2014 SIDS Conference came to us while attending meetings in other parts of the World.

It helped us resolve the need to find a venue big enough to replicate the UN General Assembly Hall.

Samoa also showed the sustainable use of the Tuanamaito complex after we hosted the Pacific Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.

It was even used as a venue for the opening of the recent CHOGM Meeting.

Meeting our diaspora was a chance to warmly reunite with old friends who chose to pursue new opportunities overseas.
We learned about their successes and challenges and shared a laugh about good old times.

These overseas visits were all rewarding experiences that gave us great ideas on how to improve our nation.

However, when I reflect on all those global meetings and events, I found that the most rewarding meetings were my weekly open-door sessions with our people right here in the Prime Minister’s office in Apia, where appointments were not necessary.

The other was my weekly press conferences, where I sparred with our local journalists!

Meeting people without appointments is something I still enjoy doing today.

The open-door meetings gave our Samoan people the chance to share their problems and grievances directly with their leader.

Most importantly, we were able to resolve a lot of their issues, both big and small.

I am often told that many exciting life journeys began in those weekly open-door meetings.

I constantly directed my Ministers to cut their travels and focus more on their duties at home.

And very often, Fiame grumbled at my love letters as they described my directives.

I enjoyed reading yesterday’s Samoa Observer’s headline “Only four Ministers in country, 11 overseas”.

The lesson is that you can travel, meet and talk all over the world but your actions at home is what matters.

Otherwise, it is just all talk, no action.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor (2), Saturday 16 November 2024 -]

13/11/2024

✍️The cost of lost opportunities for Samoa's current and future generations 🇼🇸

Opportunity cost is a concept which put simply, describes the potential gains we've lost by making one decision over another.

Since 2021, Samoa has been living in a never-ending cycle of lost opportunities.

Samoa had the opportunity to build on the work of previous governments for the benefit of the nation.

The never-ending obsession to re-write history and erase many projects already in the pipeline has cost Samoa billions and decades of development progress.

Visionary leadership is about Samoa's development, culture and its people.

It is not about political parties and individuals; those will come and go.
The most glaring lost opportunity is flying over our blue skies every week.

Fiji Airways, Air New Zealand, Qantas and Virgin are flying planeloads of Samoans and visitors every day, making millions of dollars in profits.

The lost opportunity to get Samoa's share of this market occurred when the present authority decided to cancel the most favorable lease arrangements for Samoa Airways to fly its own jets on these profitable international routes.

When Samoa Airways was operating those international routes, our people had a cheaper option and miraculously the cost of tickets on those other airlines dropped!

Samoans were flying back and forth to Auckland for fa’alavelaves, happy family reunions and watch international rugby games!

The cancelled Vaiusu / Vaitele wharf project would have increased our capacity to import and export goods, host tourist ships and create employment for our locals.

This international wharf would have been an international transshipment port that operates all year round in all weather conditions and berth multiple ships, not like the current one-boat wharf at Mata'utu that is frequently battered by powerful ocean swells during the cyclone season.

It would have ensured a constant supply of goods and bring down the cost for our people.

It would have given our local producers and manufacturers the opportunity to expand the export of our produce and goods.

Cancelling the Tiavea Airport project and investing in a $25 Million Tala "Regional Airport," is another economic fiasco.

Ti'avea Airport would have easily handled the so-called “regional air traffic” as well as current services to the dangerous Fagali'i Airport.

Samoa is now dealing with the many ill-informed decisions to restrict and politicize our participation in the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, Pacific Australia Labour Mobility, and the Pacific Engagement Visa programs.

This sudden decision by Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party government, without any immediate and viable replacement plan, has cost our struggling families employment opportunities, a chance for an education and career for their children in Australia, and has dropped the level of remittances.

Every day, Samoans are constantly facing non-stop electricity disruptions, poorly maintained hospitals and roads, violent crime, drugs epidemic, overworked hospital staff, under-funded police and unpaid contracts.

These are just a few examples of the lost opportunities that our Government's negligence has cost Samoa.

The continuing boast of managing national debt levels by cancelling these projects shows a lack of foresight when one realizes the billions that the nation has lost in opportunities to serve current and future generations of Samoans.

Major economic investments and development strategies can never be achieved with wheelbarrows, crates of beer, and packets of ci******es distributed to buy votes while the leader and most of the Ministers are away today, asking for donations from our people in Alaska, Seattle etc., etc.

It will take us years to rebuild and start all over again.

We have done it before and will do it again, God willing.


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor (1), Wednesday 13 November 2024 -]

09/11/2024

✍️You cannot serve both God and Money 🇼🇸

The news that Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party members are again overseas in the United States etc., raising funds for themselves from our diaspora is further proof that the party has lost its way.

The pursuit of money has overtaken the call to duty and service to the people of Samoa.

The FAST Party was appointed by the Courts to lead the country in 2021 in a tumultuous decision that rocked Samoa to its very core.

In a moment that could have torn our nation apart, the leadership of the Human Rights Protection Party decided that it would be best to hand the beloved child over to the mother who claimed it was hers to keep, and not cut in half and divide.

Sadly, the last four years has shown that the FAST Party had no plan for the development of our nation.

They have never switched from campaign to governing mode.

Its members are more preoccupied with making money for both political and personal gain.

The FAST Party has become a money making and spending machine.

The various infrastructure projects that they have launched were either carried over, or quickly put together for show such as the overpriced "Regional Airport," which is now a national embarrassment.

Located next to our international airport and flooded with the rising of the Palolo.

The scale of the FAST Party money making is huge but simple.

On one hand, they fly overseas to convince the diaspora to part with their hard-earned money.

At the same time, they hand out a Million Tālā to each district for struggling families to use that money to buy inflated goods and services.

The FAST Party then sits in the middle and collects from both sides.

None of these Millions of Tālā make their way back to long term investments in Samoa's development.

The pressure on the diaspora is taking its toll as those families have their own financial commitments to meet.

Our local families are also struggling to deal with the high cost of living, worsening electricity services, poor hospital facilities, increasing crime, and under-resourced police who are fighting hard against the methamphetamine epidemic.

All while, the FAST Party are flying first class all over the world raising money and refusing to be accountable to their people.

The Bible tells us that we cannot serve both God and Money.

Through their actions, it is becoming clearer which master is the priority for the FAST Party.


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor, (3) Sunday 10 November 2024 -]

07/11/2024

✍️Work Ethics Urgently Required!🇼🇸

The strain of leadership is showing fast on the Faatuatua i Le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party Cabinet Ministers.

Last week, a FAST Cabinet Minister announced that he will not respond to media questions about disruptions to electricity services and the use of taxpayer funds.

If not him, who?

This is not a good sign for democracy in Samoa!

Senior Cabinet Ministers are seen spending more time dancing at fundraising events in Alaska, the Utah, New Zealand and Australia, than in their offices.

What for? To buy votes?

Others have chosen to let civil servants take the lead on political matters, which threatens to politicize our civil service.

Cabinet Ministers have a responsibility to protect civil servants and not put them in politically vulnerable situations.

Even worse, some Cabinet Ministers seem to spend a lot of their time posting nonsense, arguing, and gossiping on social media.

The number of national issues and incidents on which there has been no satisfactory explanation from an official FAST government spokesperson keeps increasing.

This includes the numerous violations of our national borders, constitution amendment bill 2024, abuse of the million tala village projects, methamphetamine epidemic, Togitogiga cattle farm deal, the unnecessary "regional" airport which flooded days after its opening, electricity shutdowns, sitiseni Niu Sila disinterest, environmental and economic impact of HMNZS Manawanui, and many more.

Ignoring these issues of national importance or avoiding the media will not make them go away.

Who exactly is the official FAST government spokesperson anyway?

Leadership is about serving and not being served.

It is not a part-time or a 9am to 5pm job.

One must be fully committed, all the time.

Leaders must have a work ethic and integrity that others will follow.

And accountability and transparency are not optional.

The people of Samoa expect nothing less from their leaders.


Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor (2), Friday 8 November 2024 -]

04/11/2024

✍️The Empowerment of Women!🇼🇸

In her opening statement during CHOGM, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa made a passing reference to Samoa's constitutional crisis of 2021.

One detail that was cunningly omitted was that the crisis was caused by her Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party's refusal to recognize the provision in the Samoan Constitution that guarantees 10 percent representation of women in Parliament.

The Courts upheld the legitimacy of the 10% minimum requirement of female representatives in our Parliament, which is in accordance with the Constitution of Samoa.

The FAST Party has struggled to keep a credible position on women empowerment and leadership.

Cabinet Ministers read fancy worded statements prepared by consultants that demand equal representation in accordance with whatever treaty or convention they are trying to promote.
Then the very same Ministers later denied the rights of Samoan women to have a guaranteed minimum of 10 percent representation in the leadership of the country.

Even worse, the women representatives who have been admitted to Parliament under this provision of the Constitution have been ridiculed and undermined by many, including FAST Party supporters.

It is worth noting that none of the female opposition members of Parliament were invited to be part of the CHOGM panel discussions.

Despite these attacks and snubs, the two women representatives continue to do an outstanding job in Parliament.

We won't mention the number of competent professional Samoan women whose careers and belief in the empowerment of women have been destroyed by the FAST government's politically motivated decisions.

They are the heroes who should be recognized for their resilience and loyalty to the people and Constitution of Samoa.

It's fitting that the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, is from Ghana.

We may finally have a true champion for women in leadership who understands the reality of this fight.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor (1), Monday 4 November 2024 -]

02/11/2024

✍️A Nation Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand🇼🇸

The recent recommendations by the Attorney-General on the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party's million tālā village project must be applauded.

Firstly, because the recommendations uphold the principles of accountability and transparency, which are important components of the Rule of Law our Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa loved to refer to, in her speeches.

And secondly, it shows that some branches of government can serve their country with professionalism.

We must acknowledge these examples when they arise, especially these days when some civil servants are not able to draw the line between politics and their jobs as public servants.

We have seen a few examples of some who are overeager to justify their appointments and impress their political masters.
The AG's recommendations confirm what Samoa has known all along.

The million tala village projects are not about the sustainable development of Samoa.

They are simply about buying votes with a few flimsy wheelbarrows, grass-cutters, rolls of barbwire, forks and machetes, while filling the pockets of the elites through reported overpriced contracts and property leases.

As we get closer to the 2026 elections, we will not be surprised to see the wheelbarrows replaced by crates of beers and boxes of chicken, mamoe, eleni and pisupo, and maybe some cartons of ci******es.

Already FAST is promising hand-outs of taxpayers’ cash in the next 18 months.

The last time our people were fooled by trinkets, muskets and alcohol for land and power was by the early Europeans.

The FAST Party is trying the same trick today with wheelbarrows and cash for political power and influence.

The difference is that the FAST Party underestimates the intelligence of the Samoan people.

We can see how the million tālā project has divided our nation between the haves and the have-nots.

Never in our recent history have Samoans been as deeply divided as created by the FAST Party's divisive policies.

Villages are split between who gets their million tālā gift and who doesn't.

It is now family against family, village against village, district against district, Upolu against Savaii, red against blue, and painted vs non-painted fala garlands.

Who knows, even the colour of combs and toothbrushes imported for local residents may soon require Government’s clearance.

The diaspora has been influenced to distrust and turn against their families who live here.

Civil servants fearing for their jobs, have been ridiculed and even lost their jobs for political reasons.

Churches are no longer respected as places that are safe from the ugliness of politics.

Samoans are resilient and we have survived many threats in our proud history.

As former United States President Lincoln warned us, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Like him, Samoa must never allow these divisions to tear our nation apart.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP

[- Letter to the Editor; (2) Saturday 2 November, 2024 -]