By Staff Writer
The Samoa Tourism Authority CEO Suifua Lenata’i Fa’amatuainu is staying positive over career damaging publicity that kept him out of his contract job since last February.
Fa’amatuainu was forced to take annual leave right up to when his official 3-year term as CEO ran out last week on Thursday.
His problems started with complaints alleged by some of the STA staff against him that was investigated by the tourism board.
The board ruled to basically clear him of the complaints and that he be re-instated as CEO.
The ruling came with only a few days left of his contract to run and Cabinet reportedly decided to end his contract.
Fa’amatuainu has struggled to remain positive during the hard passage of negative publicity surrounding his time in office.
He had already re-applied for his old job determined to build on the success of desperate attempts to keep the local tourism going.
The COVID 19 pandemic wrecking ball had left the industry reeling with international travel borders closed and in real threat of total collapse.
The controversy that left his chances of a contract renewal in jeopardy dropped out of nowhere at the time.
He was at the time and still is confident that his innocence will be revealed in due course.
Despite the run of damaging complaints he has maintained his innocence against, he is hopeful the fruits of his work during the last three years will speak as merits of his leadership.
“There are always challenges in any work and I have had mine with complaints against me but whether it is true or not, you have to learn to rise above them with the truth you know in yourself,” Fa’amatuainu said.
The calling of interviews for the vacant CEO job is yet to be made official but the final decision rests with Cabinet at the top level of the public service.
Whether the tourism board re-instatement decision will hold any sway as an endorsement to enhance the return of the CEO remains to be seen.
The process of selection involves a recommendation by the interviewing panel to the board who will then pass it on with their endorsement and recommendations to Cabinet for their final approval.