By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Whatever political mishap behind the Deputy PM’s letter of complaint, it better be worth ‘throwing the monkey wrench’ into the healing process of reconciliation in Samoa.
The agreement to withdraw court complaints on both sides was to restore peace and harmony in the people.
The leaders agreed in good faith to set aside all their political differences so we can all move forward.
If the opposition leader Tuilaepa is in a rage then he has every right to be.
The hatchet is buried and the deputy PM is trying to dig it up again with his letter.
All this talk about bringing shame to the dignity of Parliament is sweet poison served in mouth watering cream for Tuilaepa and Lealailepule as the targetted victims.
Even the court ruling of contempt ‘attached great significance to the views…. that it is time for Samoa to put these election arguments behind them.’
Did PM Fiame know about the letter before her deputy dropped it off to the Speaker’s office?
There will be some very big, snake-like worms crawling out of the can if she did know and still allowed it.
Trust or lack of it will be ‘snaking’ out of that can if that is the case. Did she sign that agreement in good faith or just to get Tuilaepa to drop his party’s legal charges against her?
Judging from a very angry Tuilaepa she did not sign in good faith.
If the opposition leader is offended at being lured into agreeing to sign then it is because he is human. Nobody wants to be fooled or lied to.
But what if the PM was not aware of the letter until it popped up in the hands of the Speaker in Parliament on Friday?
If that is the case why was she not informed?
Of course members have every right to express concern as they see fit but does that include making it look like the PM cannot be trusted to keep her word?
Fiame gave her word and so did Tuilaepa to bury the political hatchet. Leaders blessed with a sense of duty and responsibilities do that.
Their obligation is for the greater good of the people and country who have entrusted their wellbeing to their leadership.
Is this letter a sign of leadership the people should trust? Nope.
Can the PM trust her back to the deputy PM or other influential leaders of the party like the Minister of Agriculture La’auli?
When Parliament convenes on Tuesday it is the Speaker who will be in a pressure cooker situation.
His decision will determine if this healing process is allowed to continue or we wind the clock back to the upheavals of post-general elections.
Surely, that cannot be the intention of the Deputy PM’s letter – to wind the clock back. Pray it is not. His good intentions are highly in doubt though.
Nobody wants to believe that his plan all along with this letter is to throw the integrity of the PM under the bus.
Such a thought would be diabolical so let’s hope for all our sakes it is not his intention.
We all subscribe to the understanding that what happens in the past shapes the future.
Our past in the aftermath of the April 2021 general elections was not one to be proud of. Shameful.
We all know what transpired and would not want to see it repeated. It was a dark angry time that lingered and will take a long while for the wounds to heal up.
What we need are leaders who stand by their word of honour. The difficult healing process demands that.
What we definitely do not want is a deputy PM running around with a politically motivated complaint letter that makes a mockery of the PM’s sacred word.
Fiame has said yes to peace and harmony. Honour that.
Deviate from the moral obligation to such noble bearing and the next word to stare at us with an unforgiving face is HORROR.
Let’s not go there.