Associate Minister dares P.M.

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Papali’i Niko Lee Hang, has dared Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, to come clean.

“My question to the Prime Minister is that why make a threat when he doesn't say what I did wrong,” Papali’i told the Sunday Samoan.

“That’s being personal, I call that very dirty politics. So I dare him to tell the public what I did wrong when I was the Minister. I know he is only saying these things because he doesn't have an answer to the issues I’ve raised with him.”

The angry response from Papali’i, who is also the Associate Minister of Public Enterprises, followed a verbal threat against the Associate Minister by Prime Minister Tuilaepa.

The threat was issued during a media conference in his office.

“I’m praying that the light will reach him so he will remember I have not said anything or publicised any of the foolish things he did at the time when he was a Cabinet Minister,” Tuilaepa said.

“I pray that he remembers that.”

Tuilaepa did not say what “foolish things” he was referring to. Contacted for a comment by the Sunday Samoan, Papali’i laughed. “How can I defend myself if he doesn't tell me what I did wrong?” he asked.

“That is my big question to the Prime Minister. What did I do wrong?”

According to Papali’i, during his tenure as the Minister of Finance, Tuilaepa did not once call him to tell him that he had done something wrong. “As far as I know he never called me in,” he said.

“So tell me in public what I did wrong so I can defend myself.” If not, Papali’i said Tuilaepa’s threat is all part of an effort to “discredit me.”

Papali’i also rubbished claims by Tuilaepa that he is the only Member of Parliament pursuing the issue of collusion among public servants – including the Minister –to defraud public funds at the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C).

“The Prime Minister should play the ball, not the man,” he said. “I am speaking up on behalf of the members of the Officers of Parliament Committee."

“We were given the Chief Auditor’s report to investigate and we did our job. Our findings – including the collusion at S.L.C - was in our report that has been tabled and accepted by Parliament.

“My question is, since our report has now been accepted by Parliament which included the recommendation to take legal action against these public servants, what’s being done about it now?

What is Prime Minister Tuilaepa doing about it?”

The Associate Minister also said other members of the O.P.C signed the letter and documentary evidence supporting their findings. As for Tuilaepa’s defense of former Minister Faumuina Tiatia Liuga that he did not break the law, Papali’i said Tuilaepa is ignoring the hard evidence he has already been provided with.

“Look at the evidence,” said Papali’i. “If he is saying that the Minister did not break the law, what about the fake insurance?

The Income Tax Act was also broken, is that not law breaking?"

“The law about withholding tax was broken. The government’s tender process and procurement procedures were violated. Is that not breaking the law?”

Asked if Tuilaepa might have something against him since he is threatening to go public, Papali’i said: “I never did anything wrong during my time as Minister."

"God sees what I do.” Papali’i also he has not formerly heard from the Prime Minister since he wrote to him providing “documentary evidence” on 24 January 2015.

“He said he was going to write to me. He hasn't written anything. It’s been nearly two months.”