Minister of Finance, Faumuina Liuga Tiatia, is remaining tightlipped.
He is staying away from the media despite numerous attempts by this newspaper over the past two weeks to get a comment from him about fractions within the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) over his behaviour.
His silence has continued despite the emergence of a new political party headed by Siumu’s Member of Parliament, Tuu’u Anasi’i Leota. The news was revealed by the veteran H.R.P.P. M.P. during an interview on Saturday afternoon at the Marist Sevens.
Tuu’u claimed that the formation of the new party is the result of H.R.P.P. members’ unhappiness that Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, has not made any official decision to remove Faumuina from his Cabinet.
“Yes, I was named leader of a new party- by a number of our H.R.P.P. and also Tautua (Party members) but (it’s) not official yet.”
Told about Tuu’u’s comments, she said to leave a number and she will get back “when the minister is available”.
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When Faumuina’s office was contacted for an appointment to interview him regarding this matter, his second secretary asked about the nature of the meeting.
Faumuina’s secretary was asked about Samoa Observer requests for an appointment with the Minister for the past three weeks.
No phone calls have been returned. She was asked for her name so that she could be contacted directly to follow up on regarding this latest request. She gave her name as Leutu. She also confirmed that Faumuina’s first secretary was out of the country. And Faumuina was very busy, she said, and would not be available anytime this week for a meeting.
Trouble concerning the Finance Minister has been long-running. Media reports have linked Tuu’u and other H.R.P.P. M.P.’s with a letter they wrote to Tuilaepa asking the P.M. to sack Faumuina. In the letter, they detailed 18 allegations of wrong doing against the Minister.
But the Prime Minister continues to defend Faumuina. Last week, Tuilaepa confirmed that his Minister will not be removed from Cabinet as called for by many people including H.R.P.P. and Samoa Tautua Party members. Instead Tuilaepa said “this thing is not new”.
“We’ve already met about this,” he said last week. He also denied that there was any friction within H.R.P.P. But Tuu’u, along with other H.R.P.P. M.P.’s claim that if Faumuina does not step down, they will leave the party.
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