By Staff Member
FAST Chairman La’auli Polataivao Schmidt sparked public outrage for degrading remarks against women last week in a live forum on the party’s social media page.
La’auli wanted to see all anti-FAST women bloggers on social media herded into the middle of the Tiafau Malae and then turn the floodlights on them.
He would then like to have the ‘aumaga’ or untitled men from the Malietoa and Tupua paramount families, brought in to deal with the women.
The heavy undertones of sexual abuse and violence in the comments offended many of the supporters of women’s rights .
Women in leadership advocator, Gatoloai Ms. Tilianamua Afamasaga, called for an apology from La’auli Polataivao Schmidt for the demeaning remarks.
“Disgusting,” Gatoloai cringed at what she condemned as the revolting image of abuse the La’auli statement conjured on the women.
“ As a woman the comments should be totally condemned.”
Gatoloai is the president of the Women In Leadership in Samoa, WILS.
The advocating group was behind the UN drive to encourage more women candidates in the general elections last April.
“The comments break all local and international conventions on the rights of women as who they are and as leaders.”
Gatoloai denounced the comments as unbecoming of a responsible person and as a political leader made it even worse with a show of poor leadership qualities.
What was surprising to her also was the irony of the FAST party leader, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, being a woman.
She is calling on the FAST leader to make her party chairman apologise.
“ Fiame can not remain silent about this or her silence would be taken as condoning the humiliation of women by her party chairman.
“ What about the women membership in this political party, what have they to say about all this?”
Gatoloai made it clear that she has no political affiliations. Her main focus is to champion the leadership talents and skills for all women for the good of Samoa.
She had applauded Fiame leading up to the general elections 9 April 2021 for going off on a limb to stand as an independent.
It was a move she felt at the time would go a long way into promoting the leadership cause in women.
“Women are still having to battle the same dependency mentality on men’s leadership and it will take the kind of action by Fiame to bring changes.”
FAST Chairman La’auli has strongly denied any intentions to insult and belittle the women with his statement.
He apologised to the women on a video posting on his social media page that his words were twisted and taken out of context.
“ What I meant was for the women to be brought to Tiafau so they would appear in court,” he clarified.
He did not, however, account on comments about letting loose the ‘aumaga’ of the paramount families of Malietoa and Tupua to deal with the women.
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