The recent recommendations by the Attorney-General on the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party’s million tālā village project must be applauded.
Firstly, because the recommendations uphold the principles of accountability and transparency, which are important components of the Rule of Law our Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa loved to refer to, in her speeches.
And secondly, it shows that some branches of government can serve their country with professionalism.
We must acknowledge these examples when they arise, especially these days when some civil servants are not able to draw the line between politics and their jobs as public servants.
We have seen a few examples of some who are overeager to justify their appointments and impress their political masters.
The AG’s recommendations confirm what Samoa has known all along.
The million tala village projects are not about the sustainable development of Samoa.
They are simply about buying votes with a few flimsy wheelbarrows, grass-cutters, rolls of barbwire, forks and machetes, while filling the pockets of the elites through reported overpriced contracts and property leases.
As we get closer to the 2026 elections, we will not be surprised to see the wheelbarrows replaced by crates of beers and boxes of chicken, mamoe, eleni and pisupo, and maybe some cartons of cigarettes.
Already FAST is promising hand-outs of taxpayers’ cash in the next 18 months.
The last time our people were fooled by trinkets, muskets and alcohol for land and power was by the early Europeans.
The FAST Party is trying the same trick today with wheelbarrows and cash for political power and influence.
The difference is that the FAST Party underestimates the intelligence of the Samoan people.
We can see how the million tālā project has divided our nation between the haves and the have-nots.
Never in our recent history have Samoans been as deeply divided as created by the FAST Party’s divisive policies.
Villages are split between who gets their million tālā gift and who doesn’t.
It is now family against family, village against village, district against district, Upolu against Savaii, red against blue, and painted vs non-painted fala garlands.
Who knows, even the colour of combs and toothbrushes imported for local residents may soon require Government’s clearance.
The diaspora has been influenced to distrust and turn against their families who live here.
Civil servants fearing for their jobs, have been ridiculed and even lost their jobs for political reasons.
Churches are no longer respected as places that are safe from the ugliness of politics.
Samoans are resilient and we have survived many threats in our proud history.
As former United States President Lincoln warned us, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Like him, Samoa must never allow these divisions to tear our nation apart.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP