The Minister of the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C), Lautafi Fio Purcell, has rejected a call from fellow H.R.P.P member, Papali’i Niko Lee Hang, for the government to terminate the services of Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, Afoa Arasi Tiotio.
Asked for a comment yesterday, Lautafi, who was recently made the Minister of Public Enterprises, which includes S.L.C, said there are proper procedures in place to deal with the issue.
“The report is before Parliament,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we should let the Parliamentary process take its course."
“When that is done, whatever the government’s response is and if the Attorney General recommends to press charges, then we act on it."
“But we can’t cut in to it (the parliamentary process).”
Lautafi said the “Parliamentary process is the most superior process.”
But he is not ruling out taking action later on.
“If the Attorney General urges that something should be done, then we will cross that bridge to get there,” he said. "In the meantime, I would urge that we let the process take its course, it’s the proper process.”
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Lautafi was contacted for a comment following repeated calls made inside and outside Parliament for the government to sack the C.E.O over discrepancies and allegations of “corrupt practises” within the Corporation highlighted by Controller and Chief Auditor, Fuimaono Camillo Afele, in his report to Parliament. Some of the allegations were confirmed by the Officers of Parliament Committee which then urged Parliament to take legal action against the people involved.
C.E.O Afoa was not immediately available for a comment. Contacted yesterday, her secretary said Afoa was out of the office to meet with the Minister.
But Papali’i, who is a member of the O.P.C and the Chairman of the Public Finance and Expenditure Committee, said the C.E.O. should have been “at least suspended” the minute the O.P.C report was tabled in Parliament.
“My point is that I am not happy because the allegations made by the Auditor were reconfirmed by our Parliamentary committee,” he said.
“She should have been suspended after our (O.P.C) report was confirmed because there were serious allegations not just simple (ones). It’s just that I don’t feel good knowing this is happening and nothing is being done.”
More than this, Papali’i said as soon as Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi took over the S.L.C. portfolio, he should have addressed the situation.
“When he came and took over S.L.C. that is the moment he should have done something,” said Papali’i.
“But he never did anything. I am still pushing for that C.E.O. to be terminated, it is just not right.”
Papali’i said there is no need for any further investigation.
“We have done the investigation,” he said. “We have proven the Auditor’s allegations to be correct that collusion has been committed among the Minister, the C.E.O. and the contractor and we have all the documented evidence to prove that.
And yet nothing is done."
“So I will say not suspend her but terminate her immediately.”
The Associate Minister said he believes it was this evidence that led to the former Finance Minister to resign.
“Because he has got no where to run because we have got all the evidence proving that they have colluded, the (former Finance) Minister, the C.E.O. and contractors. And yet nothing has been done.”
Papali’i said instead, Faumuina was promoted to an Associate Minister portfolio and given a trip to the United States.
“Promoted, given a ticket to the U.S. like Tuu’u was saying,” he said. “Given a brand new Ford Ranger and I think he is looking for a new office I hope not a $600,000 tala office again."
“I think that he is now the roving M.P. for the Prime Minister to attend all meetings he is supposed to attend, but because of his (the Prime Minister’s) busy schedule, now he is sending his pet like what Tuu’u said, to attend all these important meetings.
“We tabled our report, passed by parliament and now we are awaiting government’s reply in answer to this."
“He was implicated in corrupt practices, (so) I don’t understand this. That is something I really don’t understand and only the P.M. knows.”
This is not the first time that Papali’i has called for the C.E.O to be removed.
Last month, Papali’i also questioned the Board of directors in relation to the allegations.
“Where is the Board of Directors?” he asked during a recent interview.
“They’ve heard and they’ve known all this right from the time we exposed the report."
“Once the Auditor’s Report was tabled, it was public, they should’ve known from the Report the irregularities; they should have asked the C.E.O; asked her what are these? Discipline her. Sack her."
“Now that the Minister has resigned because of all these serious allegations against him because of his involvement with S.L.C, what are they doing to the C.E.O?"
“She should be out first, not the Minister. And that’s why I’m asking, where is the Board of Directors? What are you doing?”
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