Red Cross President runs

Samoa’s Red Cross President, Va’asilifiti Moelagi Jackson, has decided to run as an Independent candidate from Fa’asaleleaga No. 2.

Speaking with the media recently, Tuilaepa was especially critical of candidates who plan to join an Independent group setup by M.P. Levaopolo Talatonu Va'ai.

She will be going up against the Associate Minister of Women, Community and Social Development, Gatoloaifaana Amataga Gidlow.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Va’asilifiti was asked why she decided to run for Parliament.

“I feel that there are not enough women running, so I felt that I should put my foot in to prop the women up,” she said.

“There are so many unspoken and quiet voices from the women which we need in the construction of a lot of government plans, and I think that a lot of women don’t realise the importance of their role, not only in their families but also in organisations and in churches."

“It is one thing to talk about having more women in Parliament and promote it, and quite another to actually follow through, so by running for elections I am making a statement that women can do it regardless of our age or background."

“ I have run for elections before and am doing it again, because I truly believe women should be in Parliament, as we have a legitimate voice and reason to be part of the decision-making process."

“Women need to be heard in Parliament, but more importantly, our families and communities should be considered through the voices of women."

“I have served my villages and know the struggle faced by those in the rural areas; those are the voices I represent.”

She said that her beliefs are based on her upbringing, as well as what she has seen and noticed as the role of women in the village.

“When I look at the Ministry of Women and the law I find that it is not in line with the fa’asamoa,” she said.

“First of all, we don’t have the word ‘woman’ in the fa’asamoa, when we talk about a female in Samoan we talk about a female baby (pepe teine), little girl (teineititi), girl (teine), faletua (wife) and each one of us has a role and has a function, like, as a child we are brought up special because the family knows that this will be a tamaitai of the family,” she said.

“[And] when you become a tamaitai everyone will treat you [well] and bring you up because you will be the centre of the peace in any family."

“[A tamaitai] has to know of the history of her family, the connection of her family around Samoa as well as the family; they will rely on her for keeping the peace within her family.”

Va’asilifiti said another role of a Samoan woman (tamaitai) was looking after her brother’s children while her brother’s wives served the family.

“She will be responsible for the upbringing of the children within her family, but nowadays the woman (tamaitai) is roaming around (eva) and they are not doing their job so therefore the children of the family are brought up by the married woman according to the value of her family."

“For me, personally, I never knew my mother for a long time but the women in my family took care of me."

Asked about her main objectives, Va’asilifiti said she wants to save the youth and promote volunteerism.

“I am what I am because of volunteerism,” she said.

“When I was in the Faculty of Education learning to become a teacher...I volunteered to do everything for [my lecturer], even carrying her bag for her or picking up her fan when she dropped it, and it got to the point where I actually became a driver of hers."

“I have this passion for volunteering because I always saw how my grandfather was being served by the taule’ale’a (servants) of the village and I always admired them."

“So while I was a volunteer…I was acting as a taule’ale’a."

“So bring it in nowadays, I want to send the message out there that if anyone wants to be a leader they must know that it is through serving that they will become leaders.”

She said that was knowledge she tried to share with youth. Asked about her plans for the upcoming election, Va’asilifiti said she would not need a campaign because she was confident the people will vote for her.

“There is not much I can do because I am already reaching out to the community through my Red Cross work and also S.U.N.G.O,” she said.

“I am with them (community) all the time and at the moment people kept asking and I told them that I’m running, and then they go and tell others."

“I am also in the Samoa Ala Mai campaign and I have been [on] radio programmes for so many community issues, so I am the voice of the many unheard people of Samoa.”

Va’asilifiti has eight children and 28 grandchildren.