“As you know the only thing that matters to us is the numbers going up and winning. Now the tournament has fi nished and we didn’t even get close to the cup (leai se pau ipu)” – P.M. Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi about the Manu Samoa Sevens
Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, has thrown his weight to back a campaign by New Zealand media personality, John Campbell, for the All Blacks to play in Samoa.
“He’s someone that likes to stir things and doesn’t really care what anyone thinks of him,” Tuilaepa told the Weekend Observer.
“People can hate on him but he’ll go on with his reports…but this, this is a good thing he’s stirring.”
The “good thing he’s stirring” that Tuilaepa is talking about is a special programme by Campbell Live filmed in Samoa on Wednesday and Thursday.
The programme, to be aired sometime next week, included an interview with the Prime Minister.
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It’s the first time Mr. Campbell had met the Prime Minister since their infamous encounter a year after the tsunami in 2009.
The encounter outside the then Kitano Tusitala Hotel was a scene that became famous in New Zealand.
Mr. Campbell was hounding Prime Minister Tuilaepa for answers to questions about aid spending in the wake of the 2009 tragedy that killed 143 people.
Tuilaepa refused to meet with him, and closed the car door in his face.
Played over and over in TV3 promotions, that scene marked a low point for relations between media and government.
Now, Mr. Campbell is back and the tough questions are, this time, being turned against the world’s toughest rugby team – the All Blacks.
And Tuilaepa could not be more impressed.
“He’s going to stir up the All Blacks management to come and play a home game in Samoa,” he said.
Tuilaepa said he is happy with the work that Campbell has done.
“The thing I was happy about was during the World Cup in New Zealand, he did a barbeque that raised $10,000 to help our Manu Samoa.
“But even though he has his ways, he paid his debt when he did that barbeque for rugby,” Tuilaepa said with a laugh.
The two met this week when Campbell arrived to do interviews as part of his campaign to get the All Blacks to play in Samoa.
Tuilaepa said he was glad that Campbell is “stirring” this matter up with the management of the All Blacks.
Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Mr. Campbell said the All Blacks owes it to the people of Samoa to play in Apia.
And still on rugby, Tuilaepa also had something to say about the coach of the Manu Samoa Sevens, Viliamu Punivalu.
Asked about the team’s slip on the ranking from 4th to 8th this year, Tuilaepa said work speaks louder.
“That is also the message for the coach, your work speaks (for you),” he said.
“As you know the only thing that matters to us is the numbers going up and winning.
“Now the tournament has finished and we didn’t even get close to the cup (leai se pau ipu).”
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