By Martha Taumata Faavae
The Gagaifomauga No. 3 Constituency has formally instructed its Member of Parliament, La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt not to resign.
He is instead to return to Parliament and to form a new political party to contest the 2021 General Elections.
MP La’auli personally confirmed his instructions from the Constituency to the Newsline Samoa last night.
“The Constituency turnout in our meeting today was overwhelming and it was their unanimous wish that I remain to serve out the full term in Parliament,” MP La’auli told Newsline Samoa by phone from his home constituency in Savaii.
He has promised to respect his instructions from the Constituency.
The next session of Parliament is scheduled for next month in August.
The sequence of events, is now set to continue when the House is called to session again, after it ended abruptly last Tuesday, 30 June 2020, when MP La’auli tendered his resignation verbally.
His shock decision came in the midst of debate in the House on the recommendation by the House Ethics Committee to either reprimand or suspend the Gagaifomauga MP for making misleading claims.
Gripping drama of the resignation started when the Parliament Ethics Committee tabled its findings from an investigation into claims by the MP that a $300,000 generator bought for the new Tanumalala Prison was excessive.
The MP during the recent national budget debate claimed that he bought a similar 200kva generator for his Constituency at a much lesser cost.
The Parliament Finance Committee followed up on his claims and discovered that it was a smaller 30kva generator he bought for personal use instead.
The Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi complained that the claims by the MP reflected badly on the Government image.
The same also applied to the honesty of the Ministry of Police that had budgeted for the generator for the new prison.
MP La’auli, however, wanted his name cleared and the matter was referred to the Parliament Ethics Committee for investigation.
Chairman of the Ethics Committee, Nafo’itoa Talaimanu Keti, tabled his committee report at the start of the Parliament session in the morning after an extensive investigation.
Nafo’itoa disclosed the conclusive findings of his Committee that showed the claims by MP La’auli were not true.
The Committee ruled that the MP disrespected the integrity of the Parliament by violating Standing Orders on ethics and proper conduct.
Punishment was recommended for either the MP be let off with a strong reprimand or suspended for 3 months without pay and allowance.
The Prime Minister requested the Speaker to open the floor to Members to hear what they have to say on the Ethnic Committee recommendations before any final decision is put to the vote.
MP La’auli spoke up and tried to defend the spirit of his claims that his honest concern was to save on the cost of the generator.
Evidence he presented to support his argument during the debate was a legitimate company quote to prove that the generator was much cheaper than the budgeted costs.
La’auli apologised for the claims he made and assured that it was never his intention to mislead Members.
He said the claims were made with a clean heart to underline his point on cost savings for the country.
The Prime Minister later clarified the budgeted costs that included not just the generator but also other accessories like a house to place it in, wiring installation and more.
The Chairperson of the Finance Committee Ali’imalemanu Alofa Tu’uau made a similar comment but added her concern for the MP knowing that he was not quite fully informed.
Members gave MP La’auli a severe roasting once they were called to address the findings by the Ethics Committee.
Most vented their disapproval with the MP before making the appeal that he be reprimanded rather than suspended.
The Deputy PM Fiame Naomi Mata’afa motioned for the MP to be reprimanded while another Cabinet Minister wanted the suspension option to go ahead but for one month instead of three.
The PM moved for the session to continue beyond the scheduled end of session in the afternoon until all the Members have had their turn on the floor.
Shortly after the motion for an extension was carried MP La’auli took the floor and verbally offered his resignation to ‘save the embarrassment for his Constituency and family’ who were listening to the proceedings.
He then bowed out of the Parliament chambers while the PM was on the floor to go over the sequence of events that climaxed with the MP’s resignation.
Tuilaepa told the House that he has not had his chance to speak but Government had decided to reprimand rather than suspend the MP.
La’auli was then required to send a letter of resignation to the Speaker to make his departure as a Member of Parliament official.
The Gagaifomauga No.3 MP dropped his resignation bombshell about 9 months out from the April 2021 general elections.
What now remains with the return of the MP is whether the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi will remain with his decision to reprimand La’auli or if he will change his mind and call for suspension.
He was on radio yesterday putting the blame on the opposition MP Olo Vaai for inciting his fellow MP into trouble.
