LETTER TO THE EDITOR : Last week, the American Samoa Senate was informed by the Director of the Department of Agriculture that a lease arrangement was being finalized with the Government of the Independent State of Samoa for a 400-acre farm at Togitogiga, Falealili.
The Senate was informed that the farm was already fenced, with 5 beasts presented by the Government of Samoa, and another 6 generously provided by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Five hundred more beasts would be imported from Australia.
The Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi government Minister of Agriculture, La’auli Leuatea Schmidt, was identified as the chief contact from the Government of Samoa.
In Parliament this week, Honourable Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa told the Leader of the Opposition and Members of Parliament that she was not aware of such a deal, and even labeled this information as “fake news”.
And the Minister of Agriculture later told the media that “there is absolutely no such deal made.”
Late Friday afternoon, the CEO of the Ministry of Agriculture formally issued a press release reconfirming that there was no deal.
The behavior of the Minister involved is an embarrassment to the Government and People of Samoa.
Furthermore, the Governor and people of American Samoa deserve an apology.
This latest fiasco follows on the tail of another land transaction, which the Attorney General has stopped, that would have cost the Samoan taxpayer over $1 million tālā in losses.
The Minister of Agriculture was also allegedly involved.
Sadly, the destructive impact of these illegal actions and short-sighted decisions on our people, economy, and international standing are lost on the FAST leadership.
Samoans are a peace-loving and God-fearing people. We can only pray that there are no more shady deals lurking in the dark.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP