By Opposition HRPP Leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Samoa is the only nation in the world with a Parliament that has a full-time opposition and a part-time government.
The opposition comprises two sections, one blue and the other red.
In the blue section is the Human Rights Protection Party, serving as the loyal opposition to the Head of State’s government of the day, and taking a court ordered break after 40 years of service to the people of Samoa.
This part of the opposition is based in Apia and focuses on pertinent issues that are relevant to all Samoans, here in the country.
In the red section is the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party, loyally serving as the opposition to the ghosts of previous HRPP administrations.
Their job is to blame all of today’s problems on yesterday’s governments.
This part of the opposition is mostly overseas based and focuses on fundraising and on creating big problems in Samoa, neighboring American Samoa, and wherever they go.
Using today’s technology, Cabinet Ministers and their Associates conduct meetings through the internet whilst sightseeing and fundraising throughout the 10 corners of the globe.
Occasionally, a group of FAST politicians will meet in the Prime Ministers conference room to approve a couple of cabinet papers for their next overseas trips plus a few million tālā for their favourite projects and constituencies.
Then, they disappear for a few months.
This is Samoa’s version of a “shadow government.”
HRPP administrations had always encouraged opposition parties to organize themselves and challenge the policies of the government.
It is good to see FAST Party members continuing to do that to this very day.
That advice has paid off handsomely.
Samoa now has the very first political structure of its own.
And it is so good that we don’t even need a full-time government.
We must be the envy of all the other democracies.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP