By Staff Writer
The Year 2021 ended on a sad note for the family and friends of the late Alistair Leighton Hutchinson, who passed away in Auckland, New Zealand as the year was ending.
The 83 year old died peacefully at home on 22 December 2021 and his funeral service was held on the eve of New Year’s Day last Friday.
His passing was also deeply felt in Samoa after his many years of service as the main financial advisor to the country over a time span of 5 Prime Ministers.
Hutchinson arrived in Samoa in 1969, only a few mere years after independence in 1962.
For the next 15 years his financial input was critical to the leaders of Samoa tasked with the unenviable duties of raising a nation from birth.
Samoa needed to pick up speed on its social and economic developments as a stand-alone nation and this was where Hutchinson became a-go-to person for his expert knowledge and counsel.
At the time, major development projects were a must for the country to move forward.
The upgrading of Faleolo Airport and the construction of the Asau Port and the Tusitala Hotel laid the early groundwork for the economic pathway the leaders took on advice.
To make all these projects possible, funding from international institutions had to be secured.
The financial support from donor partners to national developments evolved from those formative years of national building for Samoa to become the established economic blueprint for progress.
The benefits of Hutchinson’s financial and economic skills became available from the time of Samoa’s first Prime Minister Mataafa Fiame Faumuina Mulinu’u II.
Succeeding Prime Ministers, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV, Tupuola Efi, Vaai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana drew heavily on his advice during their time in office.
About 7 years ago in 2014, Samoa finally reaped the rewards when it broke out of the grouping of countries with the poorest economies in the world to be included in countries at the middle income level.
Hutchinson married the late Papali’i Tagaloa Kuinimere Maiai and raised a family in Samoa of one girl and two boys.
He took his family back to New Zealand to put his young children through education.
By then he was already made a naturalized citizen of Samoa and his considerable contribution to the county’s development was recognized by being awarded the Order of Merit for outstanding services.
While back living in New Zealand Hutchinson was still able to contribute to the nation building in Samoa by creating employment opportunities for the local working population.
Many who worked and learnt from his guidance held him in high regard as a mentor. The former Prime Minister and current opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, is a notable example.
Fresh out of University studies in New Zealand, Tuilaepa served under Hutchinson, before he moved into a career in politics.
Tuilaepa teamed up again with his former boss, this time with the roles reversed, when he became Minister of Finance under the HRPP Government.
“He was a man of charity and integrity,” Tuilaepa reflected in a tribute at his passing.
Hutchinson may have returned to New Zealand to live out the rest of his life but to many close to him would readily admit that his heart was always in Samoa where he was better known to a country indebted to his service as ‘Alisa.’
He was a ‘citizen of Samoa’ who earned their love, respect and above all gratitude.