The recently dismissed Cabinet Minister and Chairman of the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party continues to express his opposition to calls for a snap election, citing concerns over a lack of available funds in the budget.
This raises important questions.
Where was this concern when numerous reports over the misuse of public funds were raised over the last 4 years?
This didn’t seem to matter when he was globetrotting, dancing and singing all over the world using public funds.
Under the Constitution, the government is permitted to allocate up to 3% of the approved budget to cover unanticipated expenditures, subject to subsequent parliamentary approval through a supplementary budget.
Furthermore, the practice of virement allows savings from underutilized budget items to be redirected to meet unforeseen priorities.
These facts simply confirm the former Cabinet Minister’s level of ignorance about the laws governing the use of public finances and his obsession with spreading misinformation.
It is also clearly the reason why the FAST Party and the nation finds itself in this constitutional mess.
The patience of the country has reached its limits with the never-ending nonsense that he continues to share.
More importantly, Samoa cannot continue to accommodate a government in perpetual training.
We have come too far as a nation.
Our people and children deserve a better future.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP