By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Credibility inside the XVII Parliament is to be fully restored when the opposition Human Rights Protection Party, HRPP, joins the national budget debate session tomorrow, Monday 20 September 2021.
The new FAST Government has been on a free run without any real opposition party challenge since Parliament was called to session for the first time last week on Tuesday.
Parliament for the next 3 days continued without opposition to keep watch as required for good governance with transparency and accountability as the basic principles of rule of law in a democracy.
While occupants inside Parliament where enjoying the comforts of an organised session in controlled surroundings, a blind eye was turned to the chaos outside the doorsteps to the building.
For two straight days the opposition HRPP elected members led by the former Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi were denied entry.
All attempts made to enter were frustrated by a strong presence of about 100 police officers mostly in riot squad wear to keep them out.
The standoff was prompted by order of the Speaker Papali’i Ta’eu Masepa’u who refused to swear-in the opposition MPs and locked them out of Parliament.
He was, however, forced to allow the HRPP members inside and to swear them in as well on Friday.
Speaker Papali’i had no choice after a Supreme Court ruling on Thursday ordered all 18 elected opposition members to take their rightful seats in the House.
The return to Parliament was not only sweet but timely for the opposition members to join the debate on the new 2021-2022 budget starting tomorrow.
“We’re thankful to that one last remaining Government MP who is yet to speak on the budget it left the door open for us on Monday to speak on the budget,” HRPP leader Tuilaepa happily declared on the party online media site.
National interest all week was on the drama that was happening outside Parliament rather than the one-sided budget debate inside the House Chamber.
Public attention switches to inside Parliament this week where the experience of the former ruling HRPP is expected to give the young, inexperienced new FAST Government a tough challenge.
Opposition leader Tuilaepa has promised to give their full support to the Government of PM Fiame Naomi Mataafa by putting in their best work as opposition members.
Tuilaepa made the offer of support in his inaugural address for the XVII Parliament session after he and MPs in the HRPP were sworn-in.
Government’s pointed claims that the national debt of one billion tala the previous Government left behind, is one of the issues the former Prime Minister is keen to explain.
“The problem with these people who came in yesterday is they have no understanding of what a national debt is all about and what are in replace to service all that,” Tuilaepa explained.
He will want to bring the new Parliament up to speed, on how the process of building the national economy involves donor partner assistances and longterm term loans on concessionary interests, spread out over many years.
Tuilaepa spoke about national debt repayment ratios, gross domestic products, creating job opportunities and a host of other economic concepts that he believes many of the newcomers in Government know little about.
One of the best moments for the opposition leader after ending an historically challenging week on a happy note last Friday was finally getting into Parliament again and getting stuck back in the work.
“We have to be inside Parliament to have our voice as the opposition balance out the running of the Government.
“Without our input the risks of misuse and mistreatment by Government creates fear in the people as we have seen with the police aggressive use of power against us at Mulinu’u.
“Our role is to raise issues for the good of the general public and we will not sit by and not speak out about it.”
Tuilaepa felt with a heavy heart for the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Tiatia Graeme Tualaulelei whose contract was terminated last Friday by the Speaker.
He knew Tiatia from the many years he worked his way up to the top job as a hard worker.
Tuilaepa said his heart goes out to his family and the hardship they are made to face by the unexpected loss of his job.
The former Clerk of the Legislative was one of the heads of Ministry targeted by the new FAST boot before they take over.
Tiatia has been suspended for about a month and is the second public servant at the CEO level to be dismissed from office after the former Attorney General, Savalenoa Mareva Betham–Annandale.
“Leave it with God,” was consolation Tuilaepa offered in support of Tiatia.