By Staff Writer
The Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi went religious during the Friday session in Parliament, to the ‘treasonous lies’ by the rebellious FAST political party currently on the election campaign trail.
Alleged claims that customary lands are being sold by Government to China left the PM anxious at the misinformation.
He is worried by the serious risks of anarchy from the deception.
The four MPs leading the opposition party have been at the end of a hammering all week for ignoring Parliament to rally election support in the villages.
““Let’s see what God has in store for us,” PM Tuilaepa summed up in a challenging reaction to the smearing tactics being used against Government.
He soundly rejected the sale of any customary land to China as untrue.
“These claims are being made without proof. Chinese investors are allowed to lease land.”
The Minister of Agriculture, Lopao’o Natanielu, confirmed the access of Chinese investors to customary land with the example of a 500-acre village lease in Sasina, Savaii.
“The lease was signed in 2019 during the time of the ex-Deputy Prime Minister (Fiame Naomi Mataafa) for $250,000 and MP La’auli was involved in setting it up in his constituency,” Lopao’o verified.
The Minister of Communications, Afamasaga Rico, also dispelled misinformation about village land surveyed in 2015 in the Palauli le Falefa Constituency by Government.
“Word was circulated that the lands were being surveyed to be used to secure Government loans from China, but where’s the proof,” Afamasaga asked?
Speaker Toleafoa Fa’afisi, accepted the resentment in the House at the affront shown by the opposition MPs to the dignity of Parliament, but echoed the PM’s plea to leave it with God.
“Members should have sought the Speakers permission, after all they are being paid to attend Parliament,” Speaker Toleafoa said.
“Not attending when they are still getting their salaries is not honest but leave it to God to make the decision.”
The Speaker’s comments followed an earlier call by PM Tuilaepa to give the issue of the absent MPs a rest so they can move on.
He also agreed to the serious tone by Tuilaepa for the new Government to look into legal recourse to prevent against similar acts of disrespect by members in the future.
The PM is keen to see the same legal protection for voters liable to be provoked into acts of unrest by being misled by made up claims that are unproven.
His other main worry is the huge Samoan diaspora listening in from outside Samoa, deceived by the ‘false claims’ deliberately made to win election support.
Speaker Toleafoa tried to calm members’ complaints to opposition party holding election rallies inside their constituencies with his own fears that it was an insult to village culture.
“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 agreed with the MPs complaints.
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.”
The Speaker conceded that he was going into retirement and it was the end of the road for him but this was a matter that should be looked into seriously by the new Government.
Parliament session continues with the PM and Cabinet eager for their turn on the floor.