Govt. is desperate, Opposition claims

Concerns about the ramifications of the controversial Citizenship Investment Bill 2014 should not be viewed as a sign of being “weak.”

Instead, the government should take them onboard as constructive feedback from people who genuinely care about the future of Samoa.

That’s the opinion of the leader of the Tautua Samoa Party, Palusalue Fa’apo II, who is the latest Member of Parliament to speak out against Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi’s newest invention.

Palusalue said the Bill is an indication that the government is broke and that Prime Minister Tuilaepa is desperate. He reminded that Samoa’s foreign debt is more than a billion and the government needs help.

“Why else will they be so desperate to sell our identity?” he said referring to Samoan passports. “Have they run out of ways to generate revenue for the country that they are turning to sell our birthright?”

Created by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, the bill proposes to allow a citizen from any country who is willing to invest four million tala in Samoa to become a citizen.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa has strongly defended the bill saying critics are weak people.

“That kind of thinking comes from weak people,” Tuilaepa said.

“Weak people say that to make other weak people afraid. How many changes has the government done and yet it is still strong and in power?”

But Palusalue was not convinced.

“Of course that’s what he would say,” Palusalue responded. “He never thinks deeply about what he is saying.”

“If the government had not wasted millions of taxpayers money, they would not have to sell our passports. All they think of is money but they have forgotten the value of our birthright.”

Palusalue reminded that past Prime Ministers, including the late Tofilau Eti Alesana, did not sell passports because they valued “our birthright.”

“They feared the repercussions and its consequences.”

The leader of the Opposition said there are many other ways whereby the government can generate money without sacrificing citizenships.

That’s why he has urged Prime Minister Tuilaepa and his government to reconsider the move to pass the bill. Palusalue is not the first Member of Parliament to criticise the Bill.

A number of Members of the Human Rights Protection Party have voiced their concerns about what the Bill could do.

The Associate Minister of Women, Community and Social Development, Gatoloa’ifaana Alesana Gidlow questioned the need for such a Bill.

“Is Samoa that poor that we are selling our God given rights?” she asked.

The Associate Minister reminded that “forty years ago Samoa was very poor” but “our leaders did not sell our Samoan citizenship.”

Gatoloa’ifaana then cautioned the government against opening the door to unwanted outside influence that could create tension and stir up problems “in our peaceful country.”

Another H.R.P.P. member, Leaupepe Tole’afoa Fa’afisi, also disapproved of the bill, saying he was “afraid” about the consequences.

“I am strongly against the bill,” said Le’aupepe.

“Yes other countries do it but those countries in the Asian region and others are different from us.”

“When they leave they never return but for us we go overseas and when we grow old we want to come back to our homes.”

M.P Tialavea Fea Seigafolava shared Le’aupepe’s concerns, saying he was worried about the future of Samoa and her Parliament.

“They (foreign investors) might end up sitting on our chairs (in Parliament),” said Tialavea.

“I’m worried about the future of my children and other future generations.”

For the Tautua Samoa Whip, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, he suggested to limit the rights of investors who will get citizenship under the Bill.

“Their rights should not be equivalent to us who are Samoan born,” he said.

“The bill should be redefined because we are already bringing in babysitters, housekeepers and people working in stores.

Those jobs should be given to our people.”