Keynote Address by Fiame Naomi Mataafa – 50th Anniversary of Women in Police Service

08 March 2019, Apia Samoa. The Remarks of the Deputy Prime Minister below are printed in verbatim as provided by the Government Press Secretariat. The English version follows the Samoan. 

Ua malumaunu le fogāti’a, auā ua atoa ali’i seu ma o latou soaseu. Ou te lē toe seu tafilia la le na’a, ae ou te seu matato’aga auā le fuifui ua totō ifo i maotaga. Ua sausau fialele le manu sa moe afusia, auā e faigatā Samoa o le fue lavelave, a o se i’a mai moana, ma e ifo tonu fo’i le fuiniu i le lapalapa. A o le aso ma le taeao, ua mamalu ma maualuga. O sā ma faiga o Samoa mai Saua se’ia pa’ia Analega, e leai lava sē e mafai ona toe sui se mea e tasi. Ua ta’oto ‘ao se alao’o, ma ua atoa li’o le masina.

Susu lau Susuga i le Taitai o le Sauniga – Pastor Alesi Unoi.

Afio Lau Afioga i le tamaitai Komesina o le Malo o Ausetalia – Your Excellency Sara Moriarty.

Toe utaia o Tavui Anne laumea Afifio Afioga i Fa’auluuluga Tamaitai o Matagaluega Eseese o le Malo

Afio lau Afioga i le Komesina o Leoleo ma lau Pulega

Le paia maualuga o le valaaulia i tupu ma e’e, faleupolu tōfia ae tainane tamaitai leoleo ua tatou mafuta i lenei taeao.

O ō outou paia ma mamalu o le a le oo iai se fa’amatalaga auā o Samoa o le atunuu tofi. O paia mai le vavau e oo lava i le fa’avavau. Tulou! Tulouna lava!

Ua avea le toesea i fafo o le alii Palemia ua saofagā ai lou sui tulaga mo ia ma le Malo i lenei sauniga taua e faailo ai le 50 tausaga talu ona tulai mai tamaitai i le auaunaga faa leoleo. E le natia le agaga faagaetia i le itu vai o tamaitai e aofia ai ma lou tagata i le molimauina o le sao o tamaitai i le malu puipuia o le atunuu mo nei tausaga e tele ma le siitia foi o le latou tautua e pei ona tulai mai ai tamaitai taitai i le pulega. E faaopopoina pea lau o le inailau au a tamaitai, – Ua malo le le faatoatoa.

I fa’amaumauga a le Matagaluega o Leoleo o loo taua ai e fa’apea;

O le tausaga 1969, na fa’aulufaleina mai ai tamaitai i totonu o le Matagaluega o Leoleo ma o i latou nei;

Katalina Ieremia-Sefilino, Shirley Theresa Fruean-Talamaivao, Tavu’i Anne Laumea, Theresa Stowers-Taefu Tavu’i, Mele Vaeau Garner, Mary McFall-Pawitt ma Anastacia Carolyn Schmidt.

O i latou nei sa mua i malae, ma asaina le gasū o le taeao mo le toatele o tamaitai ua mafai nei ona galulue i le galuega fa’aleoleo.

I le fa’amanatuina ai o le 50 tausaga ua maitauina ai le siitia o le fuainumera;

• Aofaiga o le Matagaluega atoa o loo iai nei; 672 ma i lena fuainumera e 169 le aofaiga o tamaitai.
• I le tuu fa’apasene o le aufaigaluega, e 25% o le aufaigaluega o tamaitai.
• Mai le 169 o tamaitai, e 141 i latou o loo galulue o ni Leoleo Fa’atautōina, 28 tamaitai o loo galulue i vaega lagolago (civilian staff).
• I vaega uma o le Matagaluega e aofia ai ma vaega e tele na galulue ai alii, ua faigaluega ai nei ma tamaitai. O nei vaega e aofia ai le Nafanua Patrol Boat, e toatolu (3) tamaitai seamen o loo galulue ai, K9 e toatasi ma le Tactical Operation Section e toatasi foi le tamaitai o loo galue ai.
• O le fuainumera mo le vasega e fa’auluulu o le Matagaluega e 42, 12 o i latou nei o tamaitai ma o le 29% lea o le vasega e faauluulu iai le Matagaluega.
• Fuainumera o le Komesina ma lana Pulega e toatolu (3), ma o le toalua (2) o i latou nei o tamaitai.
• O le tulaga maualuga ua ausia nei e se tamaitai i le tala faasolopito o le Matagaluega, o le tulaga Sui Komesina e pei ona iai nei.
• O Samoa foi o loo pale mai i le nofoa o le Taitai (Chair) mo tamaitai Leoleo uma o le Pasefika (Pacific Islands Chief of Police – Women’s Advisory Network).

O le fa’amanatuina o lenei 50 Tausaga o le Tautua a Tamaitai i Totonu o le Galuega Fa’aleoleo ou te talitonu o se mitamitaga lenei ia te au, auā e le faigofie lenei auaunaga. O le galuega tau leoleo e toatele i latou e alo ese mai ai. O se galuega e fa’afesagai pea ma faitioga, o se galuega e tali atu i taimi o fa’afitauli, o feeseesea’iga ma fevaevaea’iga, e tali atu i taimi e lepeti ai le nofo filemu i totonu o aiga, nuu ma alalafaga.

O lenei la aso, ia tatou fa’apea a’e i le pese o le Salamo a Tavita, “Vivii Lo’u Loto i le Alii, auā e fa’avavau lava lona alofa!” Fa’amalo tautua! Fa’amalo onosai! Fa’amalo le lava papale! Fa’amalo le finau!

E le gata i tiute fa’aleoleo ina ia tautua Samoa ma ona tagata, ae o loo iai foi ō outou matafaioi fa’atinā, fa’atamaitai i totonu o ō outou aiga, nuu ma alalafaga. O tatou tamaitai, o pae ma auli i totonu o aiga, e faamāfolafola mea ua faaletonu ma lagolago ma galue soo soo tauau i tamā. O la’u tatalo, ia fa’aauauina pea lā outou tautua mo le puipuiga o le saogalemu o si o tatou atunuu. O la outou tautoga e tautua le Mālō o Samoa e oo i le oti. Ae o le fa’amoemoe, ia faia pea le galuega ma fa’amoemoe i le Atua. O la’u fa’amanatu, i le vaega mulimuli o le Tautoga Fa’aleoleo, “Ou te fa’ataunuuina uma ai ou tiute e ala i le tulafono. I le feasoasoani mai o le Atua ia te au!”

A ta’ape le filiali’i, ia talalua Tuna ma Fata. Afifio lena itu i le lagi e mamā, ae tapua’i ‘āiga ia i le manuia. Alofagia e le Atua lau Susuga Pastor Alesi Unoi, foai le malosi i le tino ma le mafaufau auā le Atua ma lona finagalo. Alofagia e le Atua tou Afioga i Taiulu o Matagaluega eseese o le Malo, tainane le Komesina ma le Matagaluega o Leoleo aemaise le mamalu o le auvalaaulia. Ia Tō mai i lagi ni manuia mo Samoa ma ona tagata.

I am delighted to join you this morning, as we gather to celebrate the International Women’s Day and importantly the commemoration of the 50^th Anniversary of Women in the Samoa Police. I am indeed very happy to be part of this day. I never thought that, whilst I am at the helm of leading our dear country, women in the Samoa Police Service would celebrate this memorable event. With this significant event I reiterate, “E au le ina’ilau a tamaitai” simply translated, “The legacy of women is one of total achievement”. Today we look back and immerse ourselves with history of where we’ve been and where we are going in our journey as women in our community.

Police records show that in 1969, seven (7) brave women entered the Samoa Police Service. These pioneers are:

Katalina Ieremia-Sefilino, Shirley Theresa Fruean-Talamaivao, Tavu’i Anne Laumea, Theresa Stowers-Taefu Tavu’i, Mele Vaeau Garner, Mary McFall-Pawitt ma Anastacia Carolyn Schmidt.

To those who are with us today, I acknowledge their bravery for taking that first step. These women were the pioneering leaders setting the path for others to follow.

As we celebrate the 50^th year of Women in the Samoa Police records shows that:

• Today, the total number of Samoa Police Service staff is 672, and of that 672, 169 are women which is 25% of the workforce.
• The 169 women in the force, 141 are sworn staff and 28 are non-sworn staff (civilians).
• Today, all Units of the Samoa Police consists of women staff in male dominated areas such as the Nafanua Patrol Boat – where three (3) women are posted as seamen, K9 Unit with one female officer training as a dog handler, Tactical Operation Section with one female officer, working alongside her male counterparts to provide backup support for Tactical operations which requires carrying of arms.
• Senior Management staff totals to 42 Commissioned and Principal Officers, 12 of whom are women (29%).
• The three (3) Executive members consist of the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and the Director of Corporate and Strategic Services. Aside from the Commissioner, the other two positions are filled by women.
• Highest Rank ever achieved by a woman in the Samoa Police is the Deputy Commissioner.
• Samoa currently holds the Chairperson role for the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police – Women Advisory Network (PICP – WAN) for a period of 1 year.

These records clearly show the progression of women in the Samoa Police Service. I applaud you all for choosing to work in this field. Policing is indeed tough and requires those with determination, dedication and willingness to carry out the mandatory functions of the Samoa Police. You are called upon when problems arise and when the stability of our villages and homes are threatened. Police are called up when there is a breach to the peace of Samoa. You are expected to be calm when responding to situations that are either violent or in disarray. Our people expect professionalism, courtesy and respect at all times. You have all come this far! With that I say, CONGRATULATIONS AND MALO LAVA!

As women, you not only are expected to carry out your roles as police officers but you also have other commitments to family, village and communities. Our nature in our decision making, priorities and opportunities to make a difference as women, makes us unique. I urge that you continue with the significant progress in advancing gender equality, empowering women and supporting each other as equal partners who are ready, willing and able to expand your policing skills and abilities.

Lastly, to remind you all of the importance of the concluding phrases in your Oath of Office which states, “I will discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to law – So Help Me God”.

I want to acknowledge the Commissioner in supporting the progress of women in the Samoa Police Service. Through your support, women are able to help steer your vision so that the Samoa Police Service remains a trustworthy organization that is relied upon by the community, Our Government leaders, diplomatic corps, and especially the people of Samoa.

Once again, congratulations to the Samoa Police for commemorating 50 Years of Women in Samoa Police!

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