A RARE MOMENT : Oloipola Terence Betham, swamped by past and present staff of BDO Accounting Firm, as one of three recipients of the SIA Life Time Honour Award.
By Staff Writer
The Samoa Institute of Accountants (SIA) has set life time honour standards for the profession with the first ever recognition of three of its more prominent members this week.
The former Prime Minister and HRPP Opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was awarded the rare distinction.
The same for the former Parliamentarian and Cabinet Minister Misa Telefoni and BDO Samoa Accounting Firm, senior partner, Oloipola Terence Betham.
The Minister of Finance Lautimuia Vaai and SIA president So’oalo Kuresa led the official honour award presentation ceremony for the recipients.
The honorary award is actually the second for Oloipola who was already a Life Member for the Samoa Chamber of Commerce.
Oloipola became a serving member of SIA in the last 58 years of the 65 years since the founding of the professional organisational.
In a lighthearted tone he accept his awards as divine blessings if is thankful for at having lived this long.
“The only reason why I got these awards is not because I deserve THEM but because I lived long enough to receive them,” the joyful Oloipola quipped.
He took serious note though of being humbled by the honours he has been blessed with.
“Some say ‘Life is God’s Gift’ to you – what you do with it is your gift to God,” he bowed in humble acknowledgement of the honour.