By Martha Taumata Faavae
The FAST opposition party has angered Saleaula chiefs and orators for rallying to win election votes at the expense of putting the village name to shame.
The Savaii village leaders were angry enough to run public notices on radio and television in the past few days critical of the good name of Saleaula being shamed.
The village chiefs and orators took exception to the FAST vote luring rhetoric, that being lumped together with others under a new electoral constituency, disrespects the dignity of the traditional status of Saleaula.
The village notice advised the FAST party to cease immediately from using the Saleaula name in their election campaign rallies.
“We are very upset with the opposition political party going around saying the respected leadership status of Saleaula is belittled,” disappointed Saleaula election candidate, Fa’aso’otauloa Malosi Kome, complained in support of the village notice.
Saleaula and Salamumu in Upolu were the two villages that once made up the traditional Constituency of Gagaemauga No. 1.
New boundaries for election purposes only has separated the villages into different electoral constituencies for the convenience of the voters.
Saleaula is now under Gagaemauga No.2 while the Salamumu village is placed with one of the electoral constituencies in Upolu.
“We have informed all of village families and residents in or outside Samoa not to react anymore to what is being said about Saleaula,” Fa’aso’otauloa continued.
“This issue was passed in Parliament only after several talks between Government and the chiefs and orators of the village and everything has been cleared up.
“ Saleaula chiefs and orators returned home happy with the outcome of the discussions with Government.”
Fa’aso’otauloa is one of two HRPP candidates in the four-man race for the Gagaemauga No. 1 seat in the April general elections.
One FAST candidate and an independent hopeful are the other two.
The public notice by the chief and orators of Saleaula also included rebuke to the leaders of FAST that they do not need any advise from them to run the affairs of the village.
“As chiefs and orators who live in Saleaula, we know more about what is good for the village than anyone else because we live in the village.
“ The respect and dignity of Saleaula is intact, nothing has be taken or replaced with its traditional leadership status in Savaii.”
The notice warned all Saleaula villagers at home and abroad to no longer add or react to the election campaign affront FAST is spreading for their political gains without regard for the good name of the village.
Serious note was added that the families in the village will bear the brunt of the consequences if any member in or outside Samoa is found to continue to contribute to the shame the FAST election campaign is spreading.
Members attending the current session of Parliament also protested the disruptions by the opposition party holding political rallies in their constituency villages.
Speaker of the House Toleafoa Fa’afisi agreed with the protests by adding that it was an insult to the traditional culture of village leadership.
“It is unacceptable to our customs and traditions for chiefs and orators in one village telling the leaders of another village how to run their own affairs,” Toleafoa sided with the complainants.
He underlined the difference between democracy based on western ‘palagi’ values and the choice of political rule in Samoa with the determining influence of the culture.
“There was a lot of village in-fighting in Samoa before Christianity brought the Good Word and put an end to it, we don’t want to end up there again by stirring everyone up to a return to those days.
“Samoa’s culture is at peace.”
There is a general consensus raised by MPs of the need for future laws to legislate against election campaigning that stirs up the peace and stability in the villages.
