WAITING WAITING : PM Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa and HRPP opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, at their separate get togethers with the local media. recently
By Staff Writer
The holding of early general elections is the preferred option by the opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, to quickly restore political harmony in Samoa.
Tuilaepa turned religious, however, when it is about a preferred timing for the country to go to the polls.
“God willing it could either be 2026 or 2030 ,” he suggested in jest at his weekly session with the local media on Thursday.
“It’s a Government decision and unless Fiame asks for my advice I am reluctant to give any,“ Tuilaepa added on a serious note.
The former Prime Minister commended Fiame for standing firm on upholding the rule of law as the foundation to Good Governance through transparency and accountability.
A serious worry for Tuilaepa is what he asserted to be an overwhelming belief by Government party members they are not answerable to the law.
“The underlying opinion by members is they have the power as the ruling party regardless of any criminal activities they’re involved in,” he pointed out.
“This is an issue for our church leaders to take up in their sermons on the sins of dishonesty.”
Tuilaepa highlighted the many underhand dealings involving several Cabinet Ministers as examples with the FAST party chairman and former Minister of Agriculture, Laauli Leuatea Schmidt in the forefront.
The most notable is the 400 acres of Government land offered to American Samoa.
Mention of an illegal shipment of guns and of misleading customs duty claims on a less costly fridge when it was a more expensive generator instead.
Tuilaepa also recalled the proposed stock market for Samoa the the Minister of Finance at the time, Mulipola Anarosa tried to set up.
He highlighted as well the illegal border crossings from American Samoa by a boat and an aircraft on an inbound flight that landed without official clearance.
“Laauli should have listened to Fiame and let the law take its course, who knows, the PM has the power over Cabinet and she could bring him back in and sent some one out.”
Tuilaepa expelled worries of the Government having to struggle for a budget to cover the unexpected costs of calling new general elections.
“Government development projects in progress can be delayed or set aside to allow for money to be vire off for the general elections, its an established process that has been done many times before.”
The collapse of the FAST unity is no surprise to the HRPP Leader who claimed they had predicted it from the beginning.
He turned religious again though on the options the HRPP can take to resolve the FAST Leadership party breakup by leaving it to the will of God.
But he was not forthcoming about the governing policies the
While the general elections may return the HRPP to power, the governing policies they plan to restore political and economic stability in the country are not for public information.
“We have our own policies but the mandate for running the country is with FAST and unless we are empowered to take over then we would do so.”
Tuilaepa expects to meet up with the Prime Minister as members of the House Committee of Parliament due to meet today to prepare for the opening session next Tuesday.
He would not go into whether they have any plans to talk, as the country watches and waited with anxious anticipation, what is likely to transpire when Parliament is in session next week.