By Staff Writer
The FAST political motorcade enjoyed a free run of Savaii without roadblocks even in villages that did not support the political party.
It follows an earlier motorcade organised by the rival opposition Human Rights Protection Party HRPP that was called off to avert possible violence along the way.
The FAST political rally of moving vehicles flying flags of Samoa travelled freely without roadblocks or threats of villages hostility met by the HRPP procession.
Villages on the big island not politically aligned with the new Government party did plan roadblocks but were talked out of it.
“I had to plead with our village elders that a roadblocks will not serve any purpose except get them into legal troubles, so they decided to let it go,” a former HRPP Cabinet Minister confided in Newsline Samoa.
Before returning to Apia after the failed rally the HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi urged party supporters not to stoop to the level of the road blockers but to keep the peace.
Prime Minister and also FAST leader Fiame Naomi Mataafa denied knowing anything about the roadblocks in Savaii except for the photos she saw.
FAST supporters in the uniforms of the political party were all over the roadblocks at the home village of the party Chairman La’auli Polataivao Schmidt at Sasina.
PM Fiame, however, would only admit that roadblocks are nothing new on the roads.
She did remind that a week earlier she called for peace and calm and is thankful that there were no outbreaks of violence.
No injuries were reported to her as well.