By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
Attorney General Savalenoa Ms. Mareva Betham Annandale flanked by other lady CEOs on her right the Ombudsman Katalaine Sapolu and Lalotoa Mulitalo, of the Samoa Law Reform.
Attorney General Savalenoa Ms. Mareva Betham Annandale is suspended from her job effective last Friday and will be out of work for two weeks.
Savalenoa was notified in a letter from the Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, blaming the lack of confidence in her service.
The suspension was effective at 2.00pm on Friday and cited a series of reproving reasons in the performance of her duties.
“ I am still going over the letter that I received around 6.00pm on Friday, when I returned to the office from a meeting, ” Savalenoa said to confirm her suspension.
Among the reasons noted from her quick read is disapproval of her advice in support of the added seat for women in Parliament.
Not attending the swearing-in of the new Government did not sit well also with the PM in her letter.
The Attorney General’s decision not to attend the meeting of all CEOs called by the new FAST Government on the 23rd of July 2021 came up as well.
“I was notified of the meeting by a FAST party member Malietau who has no official position in Government.
“ The meeting was not held in any Government office premises but at the Maota headquarters at Vaitele of the FAST party.”
The suspension of the attorney general follows an earlier letter from the Prime Minister lashing out at her for not taking action against attacks on the Judiciary by the opposition party.
Savalenoa refrained from writing back except to request a meeting so she could personally go over the concerns the Prime Minister raised in her letter.
Fiame’s second letter is deeply disappointing to the head of the Government legal services who rejected it as unprofessional in the same way as the first one.
“The professional way is to call me in and inform me officially of the concerns before handing me the letter,” she reacted in disappointment.
Savalenoa insisted that her job is to advice the Government and that is what she has been doing all along.
Her appointment last year was made by the HRPP Government and she believes the issues she is being put through are all to do with being seen as pro opposition
She is fully aware also that there are other heads of Government Ministries who are being targetted the same way and are liable for a similar treatment as in her case.
“I know that other CEOs have been asked to hand in their working contracts for their respective Ministers to look through and I really object to that.
‘Why can’t they bring up whatever they are unhappy about with the CEOs and discuss it openly and then advice them appropriately?”
Savalenoa pointed to the former CEO of the Ministry of Women and Social Community of Afamasaga Fa’auiga as the first victim of the new Government cleanup on top officials in the public service.
Afamasaga was involved in organising the protest march by women against the FAST Chairman and newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, La’auli Polataivao Schmidt, for violence against women.
Her CEO contract was not renewed despite an extension approved by the HRPP caretaker Government and her last day in office was about a week ago Friday.
PM Fiame denied any signed arrangement with the CEO from the previous Government for an extended stay and was let go.
Savalenoa is undecided about her options with the suspension but may engage a lawyer to look into her legal rights.
“ I will need to finish going over this letter first.”
She admitted that her major disappointments in all that have been happening to her since the new Government took office is the leadership.
From her experience with the Prime Minister, the actions she has shown so far is unbecoming of quality leadership.