By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
To reflect on what was, is and will be, is normal at the start of this New Year of the Lord 2021.
It is a tradition in the same way as wishing everyone Merry Christmas or Happy New Year.
First off, what was there in 2020 years since the birth of Christ for us to reflect on?
Coronavirus pandemic! No surprises there! We are not the only ones too.
Fortunately we were spared the heavy toll COVID-19 took on the lives of several million people around the world.
We have spent most of the year trying to dodge the pandemic by closing our frontline borders to international travel.
We still do.
Our economy also slid to painful levels as well. Not sure if it will continue with its descent in 2021 or if it will sprout brakes to slow it down or turn it around to totter back up.
Have to wait and see.
We are already into our cyclone season. Our damage bill early in the season is already past the $70 million tala mark and still counting.
All it took was a one-day flash flooding by most of our rivers to bury our drinking water intakes in mud in Apia and the outskirts.
Pipelines were left askew and water supply cut off while emergency repairs were done that left some of the villages without supply for days.
Difficult to agree also that we should be thankful of at least being spared the wrecking ball the cyclone winds wielded around the region.
Direct hits were recorded in some of our island neighbours, with the worst damages suffered by Fiji.
We would also NOT want to speculate on the path of any cyclone, earthquake or tsunami in the weeks ahead. Too unpleasant.
If you want to forecast what awaits us in the early months of 2021, here is a timely reminder lest you forget – our general elections is next April.
Heaps of fun there! If it turns you on to watch and observe how the candidates are twisted every which by voters go ahead. Have a good time.
If your ‘poison’ is to deliberately agitate and see how it goes down with your ‘frenemies’, have a blast.
The best way to have serious fun with our general elections is to predict the winner and be convincing about it.
You do not have to be honest or sincere. The whole purpose of the exercise is the priceless reaction when you come across as the ‘gospel of truth’.
Try this one. The HRPP is going to win the general elections with another landslide. True story!
Former Deputy PM Fiame has tons of credibility as a political leader but it is not enough to carry the dead weight of the other MPs in opposition into power.
If she does it will be a miracle. Do we need a miracle in Parliament? Nope.
What we need is a strong opposition. Fiame has enough political staying power to give everyone a free piggyback ride that far.
Maybe it is the best she should hope for. Take the next 5 years as a grounding period to prep for a future leadership role.
Fiame has been too long in Government her opposition skills need honing. We all saw what she is capable of during the debate on the LTC Constitutional Amendments.
Will the other opposition party the Tautua Samoa get a foot back into the Parliamentary doorway?
Winning odds are against it. The women candidates have a better shot than the men. It would be awesome to hear that one-woman party candidate in a House debate.
What a fiery fighting character. But she is going to need all that firepower to bring down the formidable challenges of her political competition.
What about this other smaller political party that has riled up the PM with claims of foreigners taking away customary lands protected under the Constitution?
Make more noises. Maybe one day the voters will hear them.
How about the HRPP leadership? Where should that be?
The PM should hand over the reins before his term ends.
The leadership template to follow was set up by his late predecessor and mentor, PM Tofilau.
He should have a successor groomed to take over before he signs off for the greener pastures of retirement.
MPs Fonotoe and Faumuina Liuga are still very much leadership material.
Education Minister Loau Keneti Sio has a legitimate claim. He is grassroots material so he has a strong feel of the national pulse.
Would love to see MP Lealailepule in there but first he will need to win a seat in Cabinet. He deserves it for being the only unopposed HRPP candidate going into the general elections.
Women MP Ali’imalemanu Alofa Tuua is future PM material too. MP Gatoloai Amataga Gidlow is ready after her trail by fire as chair of the Select Review Committee of the LTC Constitutional changes.
There you go! See! Did you have fun?
Don’t forget the whole political scenario changes when the election results come out.
More fun.
Thank you Lord for your love and protection. Looking forward to what You have stored for us in 2021.