By Staff Writer
The Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi extended a ‘handshake’ in congratulation of his former deputy, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, as elected leader of the FAST political party.
Tuilaepa indicated on national media last Friday that after 36 years of working together with Fiame they know each other well.
“Fiame is calm and composed compared to the other three with her in the party,” the PM commended with a pointed note at the three other opposition MPs with her.
“It is good for Parliament that we now have a true leader who deserves the respect of one leader to another.”
Tuilaepa wished Fiame the best in her new leadership role with some helpful advice on the importance of party unity.
“ Party politics is a collective responsibility and a clear example was the last session of Parliament when Cabinet Ministers went into depth on the extent of their own work responsibilities.”
The PM brushed aside as misinformation criticisms by his new political adversary that he was dictatorial in his leadership.
He spurned the shouts of “I’m free’ by MPs who defected from the HRPP as understandable after they were rejected in a collective decision by the party.
“The HRPP operates according to party rules .”
He promised to challenge every claim Fiame puts across to prevent against misinformation spread against him and his HRPP party.
One example is a claim critical of the recent Constitutional changes that it denies the bestowal of ‘sa’o’ titles to family members living outside Samoa.
“ The real truth is nobody living outside of Samoa is being stopped from rightfully taking up these chiefly titles but on the condition that they live in Samoa and there are many reasons why.”
Tuilaepa relishes the challenge to go head to head with his former deputy as long as she comes to the ‘middle of the road’ and is looking forward to correcting her every claims made.
“The lies her party has been spreading about me and the HRPP in their election campaigns are enough to fill up a 100 storey-building.
“My best consolation is the credit all these false information are adding to my account for entry into Heaven.”
The PM ended on a hopeful not for Fiame to do well and for lasting unity in her party.