By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
The Health Minister was loud when he burst out with the motion, in last week’s session, to remove opposition MP Lealailepule from Parliament.
As expected, it was quickly seconded.
Leala would be sitting out the current session and probably more if the vote was allowed to go through.
PM Fiame, however, stepped in and displayed classy leadership, to smooth out ruffled tempers and restored harmony to save the day.
If action is supposed to speak louder than words, the PM’s depth of leadership in times of crisis, resounded.
Leala and the Agriculture Minister Laauli were locked in a heated exchange, angry words flew across the floor.
Health Minister Valasi rushed out wildly to the aid of La’auli and demanded the opposition MP be kicked out.
Valasi resorted to the heavy boots of the FAST party majority House vote to do the kicking
The PM’s intervention stayed execution.
What ensued, in unison with the support of the opposition leader Tuilaepa, was much needed peace and stability in a still very unsettled House.
What if the Health Minister’s impetuous action was allowed to go through?
How would that have resounded if it sparked another unwanted uproar in the House?
Is the use of bullying tactics an option a wise leader would take to diffuse an explosive situation?
How would that have turned out? Would it have brought much needed respite and assurances to our lingering acrimonious politics?
Opposition MPs like Lealailepule have a sworn duty to be the public watchdogs of Government leadership policies.
Our choice of free and open democracy demands it. Surely the Minister of Health should know and react in a responsible and matured manner in keeping with his status.
When he resorted to the brute force of numbers to silence the voice of opposition in Parliament, it sets off alarms.
Where is this kind of dictatorial leadership taking our freedom of expression, as a founding principle of democratic rule?
Will we become a nation of forsaken people forced to zip up or be trampled on by the will of a ‘numbers-happy’ Minister of Health?
Where is the vision? Where is the wisdom? Where is the depth? Where is the leadership?
If this is the kind of flawed Cabinet support PM Fiame is dependent on, should she allow herself to continue to do so?
How vulnerable is her role as leader of Government if her trusted wingmen are the problem rather than the solution?
We are all humans and as such prone to err. Once, twice or even thrice, is tolerable.
What make it intolerable is when you have the power to manipulate and corrupt basic democratic rights.
We have a major worry if our democracy is allowed to be turned crooked.
Power corrupts! Absolute power corrupts – absolutely.
We have to stop going there.