Letter to the Editor by Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Leader of HRPP.
The results of Samoan general elections are often finalized well after they have been conducted because the Courts need time to settle numerous post-election cases alleging corrupt practices.
This is the reason why post-election concessions, which are common overseas, are seldom made by candidates in Samoan elections who were initially declared unsuccessful.
In many overseas democracies, we hardly hear of such post-election court cases.
But in Samoa, there has been a long history of corruption in our elections.
In 1982, we had 4 changes of government in 1 year due to post election court cases and even our first Human Rights Protection Party Prime Minister was removed by a Court decision.
Va’ai Kolone’s removal is a classic case where the Prime Minister never interfered with the course of justice.
Today, everyone knows that Prime Minister La’auli is facing very serious criminal charges.
It is the same charges that he expected former Prime Minister Fiame to intervene on his behalf to stop.
She refused and it cost her the Prime Ministership.
La’auli and his 19 FAST MPs who toppled Fiame’s government did so because they all believe that they are above the law.
They needed to remove Fiame for their political and financial survival.
The extent of La’auli and the FAST Party’s desperation to grab power can been seen in the huge amounts of funds that were used to buy votes.
They had nothing to lose and everything to gain, especially the power to stop the Police.
FAST Party members are again using the same corrupt tactics to influence the Village Council of Chiefs in many constituencies by threatening heavy penalties and even expulsion from the Council if witnesses testify against FAST Party MPs in post-election cases.
The nation’s only hope is that our courts will shut down the corruption that has now destroyed the legitimacy of Samoa’s election process and give honest leaders the opportunity to lead our country.
This second FAST administration has already started normalizing its illegal practices and unethical behaviour.
Samoa, founded on Christian principles, must never allow evil to take hold in the leadership of our nation.
We must all do our part to uphold the rule of law.
As the famous saying goes, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader HRPP
