Former M.P. hits back

Former Member of Parliament, Levaopolo Talatonu Va'ai, has blasted Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, over his criticisms of a group of independent candidates for the election.

Speaking during an interview with the Sunday Samoan, Levaopolo said Prime Minister Tuilaepa should promote what the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P) stands for.

“If he is the leader of H.R.P.P, he should be respecting our rights to run (as independents),” said Levao. “Tuilaepa and his party should stop fooling people by singing their human rights slogan when they don’t follow it.”

Levao made the comments in response to Prime Minister Tuilaepa’s criticism over the new independent group of which Levao is the spokesperson.

Before Tuilaepa left the country two weeks ago for France, he cautioned candidates about a group set up by Levao, referring to them as old tricks.

Yesterday, Levao, who changed his constituency to run from Salega under his matai title Olo, said he had waited patiently for Tuilaepa’s return from meeting His Holiness Pope Francis, so he could reply.

According to Levao, Tuilaepa was getting old and was worried about their group.

“I don’t blame him if he’s worried,” said Levao. “He’s more than 70 years old and old people get that a lot…they worry all the time.”

Levao also slammed the H.R.P.P for what he felt was deceptive tactics, in having Independent candidates.

“So what Tuilaepa is basically saying is that for the H.R.P.P, Independents are not a priority but they can always be on the side to be spare parts when sitting M.Ps fail. The only thing that I know requires spare parts is a car and I cannot believe that the H.R.P.P Independent candidates can be called such things.”

“If somehow the sitting M.P wins, then [those] spare parts will never be used.”

The former M.P. for Gagaemauga no. 2 reminded Tuilaepa of the crucial role Independent M.Ps played in Parliament. He recalled that even the Prime Minister got his shot in Parliament through a by-election around 1980, where he entered as an Independent M.P.

Tuilaepa was first elected to Parliament in 1980 following the death of a previous M.P. “I want to know why he decided to run as an Independent M.P in the past,” said Levao.

“He should also be reminded that if it wasn’t for Independent M.Ps, H.R.P.P would not be in government today. “From [the] 2006 to 2011 election, from 33 H.R.P.P members, only 16 of them returned and the other 21 were Independents supported by people who believed that Independent M.Ps can express their needs in parliament independently without any interference from political tactics and political party propaganda.”

In criticising the independent group initiative, Tuilaepa told the media he wanted to remind Independent M.Ps not to be late to the party’s meeting the day after the general election, where they will give away candies.

He was referring to the H.R.P.P meeting on the day after the election, to acknowledge the winning candidates.

“I want to remind these guys (Independents) that if they come late to the candies giveaway because they’ve been sitting on the fence for too long, they will get scratched when they try to get off it,” said Tuilaepa.

“That is the reason why we have the early ava ceremony, so we can tell which one is the lamb and the goat.”

But Levao laughed at what he said is a bribe from the Prime Minister. He said the only time he was bribed with candies was by his parents when he was five years old.

“We don’t want lollies,” said Levao. “We want to look for the person who is sitting with the sack of lollies and distribute it to the rest of the country. About 90 percent of the country are only eating leftovers from that sack of lollies.”

Still on the lollies, Levao said he felt sorry for the H.R.P.P. Independent candidates. From what he saw, he pitied the candidates, if they were being swayed by candies.

“If they were swayed with a Big Mac from McDonald’s that would be okay but lollies, that’s cheap, I’m quite disappointed.”

Lastly, Levao said they are not sitting on the fence as the Prime Minister claimed.

“We actually want to jump over the fence and get to the other side to get into Parliament,” he said. “We didn’t come to represent any political party in Parliament.”

“We came to represent our constituency and voice their needs. I’ve realised that these things called political parties are not good. Their political agendas and propagandas suppresses the voice of other M.Ps from expressing their views and that of their constituency.”