Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, yesterday rejected criticisms of his administration from the Opposition Party, saying their opinions are those of “kids.”
“Such (criticisms) are not the opinions of decent thinking adults,” Tuilaepa said.
“They are those of small kids" and "they are silly.”
Tuilaepa, also reminded that the leader of the Opposition, Palusalue Fa’apo II, was a former Cabinet Minister under his administration.
Describing his opinions as “immature”, the Prime Minister said he did not give him another Cabinet portfolio.
The Prime Minister made the comments during a media interview yesterday evening inside his office.
He was asked to respond to strong criticisms from Palusalue and members of the Tautua Samoa Party over the Constitution Amendment Bill (No.2).
Tabled by Tuilaepa in Parliament last week, the Bill proposes to change a number of laws in the Constitution.
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Among them - if the Bill is passed – involves the Head of State. For example, the Bill will strip members of the Legislative Assembly of their power to nominate and vote for the Head of State (H.O.S). Instead, the government of the day will nominate a person to be appointed the Head of State.
Another amendment affects the appointment of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament. They too will be chosen by the government if the bill is passed.
The government is also pushing to change the Individual Voters roll to create two Urban Constituency seats.
Inside and outside of Parliament, Palusalue – and his Party - has strongly criticised Prime Minister Tuilaepa, accusing him of destroying the Constitution.
Palusalue said he does not understand why Tuilaepa and his party are so persistent in changing the Constitution, when it doesn't need to be changed.
Palusalue was particularly scathing about the plan to change the appointment of the Head of State.
But Tuilaepa yesterday rejected Palusalue’s criticism, saying they are not genuine.
Rather, they are being made by someone who thinks like a kid.
Speaking about the Head of State, the Prime Minister reminded about an incident where Palusalue “badmouthed” the Head of State when he signed a law in relation to the establishment of Casinos in Samoa.
Tuilaepa said he did not understand why Palusalue is all of a sudden jumping up and down about the need to respect the “Tama a Aiga” titleholders when he clearly wasn't respectful back then.
The Prime Minister told the media that when he visited the Head of State at the time, he was really hurt by what Palusalue had been saying.
Tui l aepa said Palusal u e ’s comments were published by the Samoa Observer.
“He eventually had to apologise,” Tuilaepa said about Palusalue. “But he really hurt the Head of State.”
About the Individual Voters change, Tuilaepa said Palusalue’s continuing criticism is unnecessary. Tuilaepa laughed at suggestions that the change has been solely maneuvered by him.
As a former Cabinet Minister, Tuilaepa said Palusalue should know better.
“No law gets to go down to Parliament without it being signed by Cabinet,” Tuilaepa said. “Palusalue should know this because he was a Cabinet Minister.”
He reminded though that this was one of the reasons he had to “drop” Palusalue from Cabinet because he simply did not understand many things.
As for the Individual Voters roll, Tuilaepa denied that the move is political. He reminded that the government had initiated three Commissions of Inquiry who all backed the change.
“ So this is a result of recommendations from those Commissions of Inquiry where many members of the public go to express their opinions,” he said.
Asked about denying Individual Voters their Constitutional rights, Tuilaepa said this was far from the truth.
He said their rights are still being respected because the only change is that of the name to accurately reflect the geographical location.
“Only smart half-castes, if I may use that term, will understand this,” he said.
Others, including Palusalue, do not and that’s why they are blindly criticising the government.
Palusalue was not immediately available for a comment last night.
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