By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
For a Minister of Police to direct law enforcement officers to investigate an outspoken opposition Member of Parliament, is worrying enough to raise anxious levels of unease.
Fortunately the Minister of Police did not make any such directive.
But there WAS such a ministerial order to the police, confirmed by the suspension of two senior officers, who carried out the reported investigation without prior lawful approval.
The directive came from the Minister of Agriculture, Laauli Leuatea Schmidt. Note please! The man is the Minister of Agriculture NOT Police.
Serious punishment handed the police officers involved is proof of how unnerving the Minister’s overstepping action was.
While the final outcome for the officers are still pending the sticky issue is what is the real worry?
What dangers are there for officers of the law to be directed from outside the authorised line of command?
This is about straying into high risk political grounds liable to spark off all kinds of treacherous treasonable scenarios.
A military-type coup to take over Government leadership is the frighteningly worst scenario of all.
A forced take over of rule in Samoa may sound too farfetched and that is understandable enough.
The same reaction was also felt about our close neighbour Fiji, before the shock of not one military takeover but four took place.
The influence of God and Culture was strong and forbidding at the time in our neighbour equal to ours.
But why did that not stop the military takeovers of Fiji’s democratically elected Government?
The argument that we do not have a military force in Apia to worry about is valid.
What we do have is a police force with an armoury in place to arm them if or when the need arises.
This is the same police force with senior members suspended for taking direct orders outside the legal command chain.
What makes this whole Government take over scenario alarmingly real for Samoa is that a senior Cabinet Minister, handed out the order and the police responded .
But the Ministry of Police was not under his Cabinet portfolio.
What if there were more than two police officers involved? What if the whole force was involved and the order was to remove the PM from office?
So it is only just a ‘what if’ speculation! True. But is this not the kind of scenario to give anyone nightmares in the dead of night?
The deciding question now is whether or not the MAF Minister, La’auli, and his ongoing indiscretions should be overlooked.
Is it fair for the suspended police officers to be punished while the Minister walks around freely?
Is it just for these law enforcement officers and their families to be forced to endure the consequences of a directive from a controlling political figure ?
What about the Prime Minister Fiame? How long is she to remain tolerant of the many scandalous dealings by Laauli and the erosion wearing out the integrity of her leadership?
The shock of the Samoa Stock Exchange he and the former Minister of Finance were alleged to be behind, along with a Chinese entrepreneur as partners, is a lingering smear.
The same for direct flights organised from China for Chinese tourists to Samoa.
All would be running to benefit these key players directly if PM Fiame had not stepped in and closed it down “because it was not approved”.
Now we have police officers suspended. The move has a more sinister twist, albeit far fetched, yet proven in the case of Fiji to be quite real.
Ironically, we are hearing reports of an Associate Cabinet Minister forced to be removed from office by the PM for alleged conduct unbecoming the dignity of his status.
While that remains to be officially confirmed by Government, the Associate Minister is reportedly linked to the police officers suspension scandal and Laauli.
What must PM Fiame do? Why stop with the Associate Minister?
Why should she allow this assertive, controlling behaviour by one of her senior Cabinet Ministers to continue?
Should she be concerned that the number of scandals have gone on one too many?
These are just a few issues the public focus is now directed at from here on.
But what the PM will have to be quite mindful of is not just local scrutiny.
The outside world is watching too especially our donor partners we depend on for our economic lifeline.
Political loyalty can be a powerful force for anyone to reckon with, especially in PM Fiame’s sensitive position.
But how does that weigh up against the proud image of Samoa we love to boast of.
Can the outside world hold faith in the integrity of our leadership?
Fiame has a hard decision to make with La’auli. Is he worth keeping in her Cabinet or is it time to cut him loose?
Lets show our support to our lady PM.
If it helps make her decision easier then we owe it to ourselves for our on good as Samoans and Samoa.