Not one person has expressed interest about moving into the $600,000 office paid for by taxpayers’ money and built upon instructions from the former Minister of Finance, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga.
The office located on the top floor of the Samoa National Provident Fund (S.N.P.F) Plaza remains empty, despite widespread advertisements calling for expressions of interest.
Yesterday, S.N.P.F.’s Corporate Manager, Tagaloasa Uili Matafeo, confirmed that no one has expressed interest in the luxurious office.
He said the space has been empty since Faumuina’s resignation as a Cabinet Minister earlier this year.
He also reconfirmed that the man who has been appointed the Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Fio Purcell, “didn’t want the office.”
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Tagaloasa suggested that perhaps the major reason behind Lautafi shying away from renting the space for an office is due to “the publicity” associated with it during Faumuina’s time as a Minister.
“It is better to ask him why he didn’t want to rent the space,” he added.
Lautafi couldn’t be reached for a comment yesterday.
According to Tagalosa, the space is better suited as an office rather than a space for a business.
“It is still there for anyone that wants it,” said Tagaloasa.
The Minister made headlines when the office was “redesigned” and toilets and a bathroom were pushed back to make room for more office space, with a price tag of $600,000 for the renovations.
When Faumuina resigned in Parliament, he argued that the amount of $600,000 included tax, “which is confusing many people, as it was an asset improvement by some 29,000 active members of the Fund.”
“Now if there are 6 members of a family of one contributor, it means that some 174,000 people will benefit from this investment,” he said.
“The cost of the Office of the Minister was $28 per sqft, inclusive of the Office of the Associate Minister and other offices of the staff.
“The Office of Special Assistant to the Minister, 2 Secretaries, Driver and Office Cleaner/Tea Lady."
“The Associate Ministers, who are shadow Ministers for the future should be exposed to their ministerial duties so by the time they are appointed as ministers, their work performance as leaders has become natural and practical.”
Yesterday when the Samoa Observer visited the S.N.P.F Plaza, a security guard sat in front, blocking the entrance to the office.
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