By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
The CEO of the Ministry of Women and Community Development is officially the first to get the bye-bye-boot the Fiame Government promised.
The PM has tried to wash it off with claims that her contract ran out but the smell of political payback lingers. ‘You don’t fool nobody no time’ madam.
Attorney General Savalenoa is on a two weeks suspension. When the charge is as serious as ‘lack of confidence’ in her abilities it is the boot for her too.
The vengeful boot is already flying on the down angle and picking up speed.
The waiting line of CEOs in the ‘boot-list’ is a long one. The nominated recipients are hardly a highly classified state secret.
FAST leaders like the party founder and Minister of Agriculture La’auli have been mouthing off about it. Gloating will be a more accurate term perhaps.
The Electoral Commissioner, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the Ministry of Finance CEO are at the very front. Keep watch!
It will be a very tired and worn out boot once the door finally closes on all those listed CEOs who will fly out of it.
Seriously, the whole CEO cleansing exercise is as intelligent as cutting the nose to spite the face.
What the Fiame Government overlooks in the blind rush for political revenge is the far-reaching ripple effect of the harm it does to the public service.
First and foremost for any public servant at the outset of a working career is the wish for a better salary.
To do that they will learn soon enough that they have to climb the ladder of experience and higher job skill levels.
Once they are fully settled and can see their pathway to the very top the dream of one day becoming a CEO starts to nag.
It is a dream and it doesn’t mean it will happen overnight or even happen at all but it is still worth a dream.
The road may take years to get there depending on a host of deciding factors that includes praying, plain luck or both.
But what if after all the years of hard, diligent work and sacrifice to reach the top and be rewarded for your honest toil, and your dream is suddenly yanked from under your nose or feet?
Where is God’s justice when you become a victim of your own high performance standards and work ethics that your incoming political masters believe favours your former masters they have replaced?
Of course it is only human to have political loyalties but ask any CEO on the ‘boot list’ about it and first reactions are…..“it won’t feed my family, put my kids through school or pay for ‘fa’alavelave.”
The Fiame Government has set a very alarming precedent that makes a mockery of having already re-assured the staff under her ministerial portfolio that their jobs are secured.
She said governments come and go while the workers stay on permanently to continue to serve the country.
Madam Prime Minister why don’t you to tell that to the Attorney General face to face?
The Electoral Commissioner, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the Ministry of Finance CEO will be comforted to hear that personally from you or your Cabinet Ministers as well.
Bear in mind that the whole public service sector is watching everything closely.
Those settling into the pursuit of a lifetime career of rewarding service will be anxiously hoping for some re-assurance.
Their future and that of their loved ones are at stake. Job security is paramount.
Surely it will help if they are re-assured that the CEO cleansing trend this Government has started will not be the norm with every new incoming political reign come bearing brooms.
What guarantees are there that the next Government will not have a ‘boot list’ of their own to ‘clean out the swamp’ this FAST Government brought in?
What kind of future does that hold for the brilliant minds and dedication needed to serve Samoa well and to ensure a social and economic success to boast of?
Are the uncertainties of a political revolving door worth alienating honest toil and determination to strive for the best that your God given abilities can offer?
Will it do Samoa any good for its public service to doubt the worth of hard work because there is no justice in a system corrupted by political insecurity and favouritism?
If this ‘boot-list’ system is what the future holds what is the point?
Would it not be better off to resign to a career of simply going through the motions hoping for something better to come along outside the service?
Why bother going the extra mile we love to read and quote from the bible only to end up in a’ hell on earth’ boot-list our political masters are fixed on?
Where are the rewards of hard, dedicated service if it is the ‘boot-list’ for you?
Forgive our trespasses Lord on this your day of rest.