The Chairman of the Public Service Commission (P.S.C), Tu’u’u Dr. Ieti Taulealo, says a Special Committee deals with matters concerning the use of vehicles by Parliamentarians, not the P.S.C.
Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, Tuu’u was asked for a comment following an incident involving a Minister’s son who drove and crashed a government vehicle that had been carrying a private number plate.
The Minister in question is the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Manu’alesagalala Enokati Posala.
According to a Cabinet Directive leaked to the Samoa Observer during the weekend, Cabinet Ministers are only entitled to the use of one government vehicle and only their spouses are allowed to drive them.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi has been in New Zealand in his capacity as the Chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union and was not immediately available for a comment yesterday.
But as one of the bodies responsible for monitoring the use of government vehicles, the P.S.C’s opinion was sought over the issue.
“The matter involving Ministers and Associate Ministers (vehicles) is with a special selected committee,” Tu’u’u said.
“It’s under a special committee. They (the special committee) look at the matter and investigate it and make a decision.
{googleAds}<script async src="http://www.samoaobserver.ws///pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- ads-articles(24.03.14) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-9419815128221199"
data-ad-slot="2395638412"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}
“But any car used by public servants are charged and dealt with by us.”
Tu’u’u reminded about the case of an Assistant Chief Executive Officer who crashed a government vehicle earlier this year. He was suspended on full pay while the Commission conducted an investigation.
The Chairman said that is the P.S.C rule but it does not cover Cabinet Ministers. He reiterated that a special committee is tasked with investigating incidents involving Members of Parliament.
Officials on that committee include the C.E.O of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Vaosa Epa, C.E.O of Finance, Tupa’imatuna
Iulai Lavea and P.S.C C.E.O, Naea Beth Onesemo.
Attempts to get a comment from Vaosa yesterday were unsuccessful.
Her secretary said she was in a meeting with Cabinet for the rest of the afternoon.
Manu’a had initially defended the incident involving the pick-up truck registered under the Samoa Ports Authority.
The Minister said his wife was in the vehicle assisting his son and the family had paid for the damages. He also admitted that he uses the S.O.E vehicle as well as the Ministerial S.U.V.
Questions sent to the General Manager of S.P.A, Tufuga Tagaloa Tufuga, two weeks ago have not been responded to.
<!-- 336x280 (bottom-article) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="1033882026"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}