Critic says not all Samoans are so ‘dumb and callous’

SAMOA – A regular newspaper letter writer has expressed shame and dismay at the reaction by the Samoa prime minister to a shocking 60 Minutes current affairs exposé.

The report, called Paradise Lost, presented the story of a honeymooning tourist couple who were attacked, bound – and the woman raped – by a violent prisoner who had escaped with ease from the nation’s main jail complex.

The report revealed that the prisoner, Lauititi Tualima, who was serving time for a litany of crimes including rape, assault and theft, had escaped numerous times from Samoa’s Tafa’igata Prison.

Many in Samoa have expressed their shock at Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi apparent callous comments during an interview presented as the postscript to the documentary news report.

“I found the 60 Minutes interview with Samoa’s PM Tuilaepa and his responses to the questions he was asked regarding prisoner and rapist Tualima, very callous, unprofessional and unbecoming of a prime minister,” writes Mehable Raguel in a letter featured prominently on the Samoa Observer newspaper’s website.

“After watching this interview, I couldn’t believe what I heard coming straight from PM Tuilaeapa. This is the same PM who calls the journalists of Samoa ‘fools’ and all sorts of other belittling labels.

“Let’s be honest here, I’ve never seen a foolish leader like this PM Tuilaepa and his responses given on 60 Minutes. His response has done more damage to the tourism sector. I’m recounting some of the things he said.”

60 Minutes: “Has the attack by Tualima hurt tourism here?”

PM Tuilaepa: “I don’t know. Really I don’t know. Remember, this is a one kind of attack that has happened.”

“Really? How can PM Tuilaepa not know when it happened right under his nose? It’s on the internet everywhere around the world and it made headlines in the local papers, TV and radio,” Raguel continues.

“If he doesn’t know that the prisoner Tualima’s crime against this couple will have a negative impact on tourism, then what does he know?

“And what does he mean by ‘one kind of attack?’. What about the women who are murdered and raped in Samoa? What about the children raped, molested by the paedophiles?”

60 Minutes: “But he has escaped three times during the last three months?

PM Tuilaepa: “And he has been caught three times.“

60 Minutes: “After he committed crimes.”

PM Tuilaepa: “You know, you know. I cannot argue with you on that point. As I said, it’s just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The letter writer continues: “Wrong place at the wrong time? Now he’s blaming the couple for the rape and ordeal they endured just because they were ‘at the wrong place at the wrong time?’

“They were in a tree house that was built for tourists. They were here as tourists on a holiday and they were in a location where tourists should be.”

Raguel says he thinks the prime minsiter had has no idea what 60 minutes was doing.

“To me, PM Tuilaepa was presented with an opportunity to paint this black incident white, instead his comments made it a lot blacker. He was too busy being angry and defensive instead of answering the questions properly.

“Samoa needs a leader who knows how to speak English properly, has a lot of knowledge and understanding on New Zealand, Australia and American politics and how these people think – especially when they are our trading partners too and economy depends on them and their aid.

“I checked the overseas websites on what people thought about this interview and the palagi people’s comments went as far as calling him ‘uneducated’ and all other names under the sun. Some even said PM Tuilaepa should step down.

“So what tourist want to come to Samoa when they are the very ones who are calling our prime minister an idiot?

“I’ve written a lot of threads about this man. I’ve called him many names and now 60 Minutes has exposed him for what he truly is – confirming what I’ve said in the process.

“Equally disappointing and disgusting is when a few of the Samoan people (uneducated and PM Tuilaepa’s followers) commented and went as far as blaming the palagi for what happened. Those sorts of comments I find very sickening.

“Honestly, PM Tuilaepa should’ve referred the 60 Minutes interview to Police Commissioner Keil or someone else who has more brains.

“My message to all the palagi around the world – just because we have a fool for a prime minister, that doesn’t mean all Samoans are fools. We have a lot of educated, understanding, compassionate and kind Samoans. Please don’t think all Samoans are dumb and callous, because we are not.” - PNC sources

Fa’afafine finally laid to rest

SAMOA – The body of a fa’afafine found dead and hanging from the rafters of a church hall at Taufusi in Samoa was finally laid to rest this week.

The funeral service of the 20-year-old fa’afafine known as as “Jeanine Tuvaiki” was held at the Si’usega Catholic Church.

The Samoa Observer reports that it was asked by Tuivaiki’s father to leave the funeral.

There was an uproar in Samoa when a the controversial article, “Suicide in Church Hall”,was published on the front page of the Sunday Samoan on June 19 along with a graphic photograph of the dead person.

The inquest into the death of Ioane Ipiniu, better known as Jeanine Tuivaiki, started in the District Court this week.

Earlier police said various marks on the deceased’s body did give rise to suspicions of a homicide.

A doctor who examined the body of Tuivaiki at the hospital on June 17 said: “There was no fracture to the neck. The cause of death is asphyxiation by hanging and I’m satisfied with the cause of death – but I was not able to rule out whether the cause is by suicide or otherwise.”

Tuivaiki’s father told the inquest of his disappointment at the delay of his son’s post mortem and subsequent release of the body for burial.

The coroner’s report will be read in court when the inquest continues on August 10. - PNC