The man touted to be the leader of a new political party being formed, Tuu’u Anasi’i Leota, has a simple message for Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.
“If he wants to fight, come and fight with two hands,” he said.
“If he does not agree with what some members (of the H.R.P.P.) think, then step up.”
The Siumu Member of Parliament and Associate Minister of Education, Sports and Culture made the comments during an interview with the Samoa Observer, where he was asked to elaborate on plans for the new party. While Tuu’u would not talk too much about the new party,
Tuu’u said it’s time for members of the H.R.P.P. who are unhappy about Prime Minister Tuilaepa’s handling of Faumuina Tiatia Liuga to step up.
“Well it is up to them to go and find out what these party members think,” Tuu’u said of Tuilaepa and his group. For now, Tuu’u said “he doesn’t tell us what to do, we do what we think is right.”
He maintains that the Minister of Finance, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga, should resign.
“Yes of course,” said Tuu’u. In regards to the new party and how many members it would comprise of, Tuu’u said he would not be talking about numbers until it was official.
“Not yet, not yet – so we will leave the party now until further notice,” he said.
“I have got a few matters, issues to settle and then we will announce it.”
“I have got to talk to some people today, so tomorrow (to talk further). (I need to) finalise some things.”
Prime Minister Tuilaepa is out of the country. He is in New York to attend the global launch of the International Year of Small Island Developing States (S.I.D.S.) (see story page 15). Repeated attempts to get a comment from Acting Prime Minister, Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo, were unsuccessful.
But the leader of the Tautua Party, Palusalue Fa’apo II, has thrown his support behind this move. He said he had been in “friendly discussions” with Tuu’u and that he encouraged the Associate Minister and his supporters to do what is right for the country.
“I knew this would be the end result,” he said of the prolonged infighting within H.R.P.P. “If nothing is done about the Minister of Finance then people will walk away from the H.R.P.P. I have been saying this all along that the H.R.P.P. is not as smooth as the Prime Minister has been saying.
“There is internal friction because of the issue of the Minister of Finance.
“It is now confirmed by the Auditor’s Report and also by the Parliamentary Committee Report what these 19 H.R.P.P. members stated in the letter to the Prime Minister.”
He said these members had not been happy ever since the outcome of last year’s vote to oust Faumuina from the Party.
“But remember this (the vote) came before the Auditor’s Report and the Parliamentary Committee’s Report.
“So I guess that is why that Tuu’u has been saying all along that they are not happy with what the Prime Minister is doing.
“And also I can confirm that I was right that there is a lot of friction within the H.R.P.P. party that the Prime Minister has been playing down saying that the party is perfectly all right.”
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But Palusalue was quick to downplay rumours that any member of the Tautua Party would cross the floor and join with Tuu’u.
“No – because no one will leave,” he said.
“Because I trust them and I believe no one will leave.” He said come the next General Election in 2016, the Tautua Party would run its own campaign and maybe after the Members had been sworn in would they look at forming a coalition, if that is what it came to.
Asked if he knew which other members of the H.R.P.P. would be defecting, he said he was certain there were three. Tuu’u was among them.
“I don’t know who else,” said Palusalue.
“I think those are the three who are very unhappy. But those are the three, and hopefully there will be others supporting.
“I fully support Tuu’u he has got the guts to stand up and oppose what the Prime Minister has been doing in their party.
“I wish all the best for Tuu’u and his supporters – they should be standing up and believe what they are saying.
“At least there is somebody who is standing up to tell the Prime Minister that.”
He went on to congratulate the H.R.P.P. members who had the “guts” to stand up to the Prime Minister.
“To me I don’t care who supports me or not, as long as they stand for their principles and for the people,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter if it is only, one or two or three.
“The main thing is that you stand up and do the right thing for the country. So I must congratulate them for standing up for what they believe in and also standing up to do the right thing for the country.
“So even if it is only three or one – that there is still somebody with guts who will stand up for what is right.”
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