(by Talia Mika (photo Piui Simi) 27 Jan 2023 9pm] (Published Samoa Observer 28 Jan 2023)
LETTER TO THE EDITOR :
I wish to set the record straight on the above article which in its totality is baseless, untrue and defamatory.
Facts:
1. The building in question was designed and built at Maasina village to be a Health Center for the District of Fagaloa, not a District Hospital as wrongly stated in your article
2. This was not a Government project as assumed by the Minister of Health.
3. There was no Government funding involved as it was an offer by the previous Vaa o Fonoti MP then Minister of Revenue Hon Tialavea Tionisio Hunt.
4. The building was initially planned to be built at Taelefaga village but later changed to Maasina because the proposed Taelefaga land was already occupied. Thus the building was built at Maasina.
5. Hon Tialavea met with the village council of Maasina before the building was built and no land lease was ever paid or entertained, as it was regarded as part of our village’s contribution to the livelihood of the residents and people of the Fagaloa District.
6. The building and construction costs was solely met by Hon Tialavea T Hunt and currently incomplete and not operational.
7. The current Minister of Health lacks experience in government procedures and processes. The Government of Samoa’s Tenders Board is a government establishment and its functions are specified under the Ministry of Finance Act and Instructions Part XII s.89. The Board therefore only reviews, makes decisions and issues directives on government- funded major projects. The perceived hospital building at Maasina as colourfully depicted by the Minister of Health, is a non-government project funded by a private citizen. Thus it would not be submitted and reviewed by the Tenders Board unless government had provided financial assistance for it.
8. Not one matai from our district and even our current Member of Parliament has approached us to use the building as a committee house for the constituency, something we would have easily agreed and supported fully.
Having said that, It is irresponsible reporting that the Samoa Observer had gone ahead and published the titled article without even making an effort to find the truth or asked me as the former Director General of Health. The current MP of Fagaloa Mau’ utapuai Siaosi Puepuemai was part of the building project and he is well versed on it as he was Hon Tialavea’s right hand man and main advisor during the Hon Minister Tialavea’s 10 vear tenure as MP for Vaa o Fonoti. He was even endorsed and supported by
1 Just checking whether the photo referred to taken by Talaia Mika refers to the photo of the welcoming of the new CEO on Fridav 27th January.
Hon Tialavea in his bid for the Vaa o Fonoti seat which got him in parliament in the last General Election 2021.
If the matter is sincere and that the MP Mau’utapuai Siaosi’s intention is to construct a hospital at Fagaloa, he could have easily used his God-given intellect appropriately and earmark part of the current $1m government development funds allocated to the district to complete the health center that was initiated by his predecessor. Or better still, come to the district to discuss the hospital idea with the constituency instead of trying to score points at the expense of others and the many of us that consider Fagaloa as home.
O tala i atu mauga ole Vai Fagaloa, “e fai ole a’eae ,ae fai foi ole ifoifo “…… It is wise to be good to the people you meet when you go up, as they will be the same people you meet when you come down.
Ma lo’ u faaaloalo tele,
Leausa Dr T K Naseri 2/2/23
Ma’asina Fagaloa /Itumalo Vaa o Fonoti