Rare scene of Ministerial cars driven all the way up to the doors of the Parliament House to drop off Cabinet Members at the official opening of session.
By Staff Writer
Government leadership is denounced as childish for failure to release the assigned vehicle for official use of the opposition leader going on 2 years now.
Former PM Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and now opposition leader has questioned the lengthy delay in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Papali’i Taeu Masepa’u.
The letter at the end of the week took serious note of the unused vehicle parked outside the office compound of the Legislative Assembly since it arrived in 2021.
“The vehicle has remained fully exposed all this time to corroding weather in the sun and rain including seawater breeze,” Tuilaepa wrote.
“ The corrosive damages to parts of the vehicle from the prolonged exposure to the harsh environment has turned it into a second hand one which is abuse of Government property.”
The courtesy of giving the opposition leader an official car is a Government policy started during the Tuilaepa administration as Prime Minister.
The Tautua Samoa opposition leader at the time, Palusalue Fa’apo II, was the first to benefit from the policy and it flowed well when it was put in place.
“Once the policy was set in motion the vehicle was purchased and handed over immediately to the Tautua Samoa party leader with no conditions attached – everything went smoothly,” Tuilaepa wrote to the Speaker.
The letter suggested that Government is in a juggle to find a Ministry to pay the operating costs of the opposition leader’s vehicle, which was not an issue when the policy first kicked off.
Tuilaepa in an ‘add salt to injury’ reaction finds it hard to believe reports that Government may give the car to someone of their own choice.
His concern hinted at deliberate Government attempts to dangle the vehicle use before the opposition party leadership to create frictions.
“It’s like they’re trying to play us like kids rushing in to fight over lollies, which reflects badly on the kind of juvenile leadership I did not believe possible in Parliament especially from those who are leading the Government.”
Tuilaepa told the local media in his weekly Thursday press conference that the promised vehicle is cursed by evil political intentions by Government.
He believes the better choice for Government is to hand over the vehicle for the use of the head of a church denomination who has reportedly requested transport assistance from Government.
He is confident the reverend ‘faifeau’ with his holy powers of prayer will also be able to exorcise the demons who are in the car.
Tuilaepa in his letter told the Speaker that he does not need the vehicle and as of yesterday (Friday) decided to recommend that the car be sold.
Whatever is raised from the sale should be used to cover overtime for doctors and nurses.
“I and the MPs of the HRPP opposition party do not condone this kind of bad, shameful politics that treats us like kinds rushing to catch lollies that you tossed over for us to suck and lick.
“You can give the vehicle to your person of choice but we at the HRPP are not kids to be easily fooled like you have done to others.”
Tuilaepa assured he has his own car bought by his own money so he is in no need of one.