By Staff Writer
Deputy opposition leader, Fonotoe Lauofo Meti, challenged the Minister of Works, Olo Fiti Vaai, during a heated exchange in the morning session of Parliament today, Friday 24 June 2022.
The clash started when the Minister went on a tirade about the rare harmony currently enjoyed in the House without ridicule thrown against members, unlike previous sittings.
The Minister’s remarks were clearly aimed at the previous Government of former Prime Minister and currently suspended opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
Fonotoe challenged the Minister to say whom he was referring to with his remarks and his inquiry turned into a verbal counterpunching that the Speaker was momentarily unable to stop between the pair.
The Minister’s comments later extended into naming the deputy leader while under pressure for an explanation.
Fonotoe was forced once again to stand for the absent HRPP leader who was unable to defend himself as in previous occassions when under Government attack.
Opposition MP Leaula Tavita Amosa, prodded the Minister’s initial reaction when he made the appeal for Samoa to have its own aircraft.
Leaula made a lighthearted but pointed comment about the Minister getting a V8 engine aircraft for Samoa after the Minister interjected that the national carrier Samoa Airways have aircrafts.
Olo was referring to the smaller passenger aircrafts flying to neighbouring American Samoa.
Leaula’s mention of the aircraft engine model made an indirect stab at the controversial V8 landcruiser pickup truck the Minister bought under donor aid and fitted with private license plates.
He has since caught up in public reaction critical of his alleged intentions for the use of the close to $150,000 tala vehicle.
His leading critic is the opposition leader Tuilaepa who has been threatened by the Minister with legal defamatory actions.
Tuilaepa, however, has welcomed the threat as an opportunity to relate the Minister’s action to standard policy for the purchase of Government vehicles.
He has also called on the Minister to apologise to the Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa for the truck controversy.