Transcript
Samoa's opposition leader says he feels the government is hiding something by not allowing debate of a report into corruption allegations against a former finance minister, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga.
Palusalue Faapo II is disappointed the government did not discuss the Parliamentary committee report.
Our correspondent in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, told Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor what the committee investigated.
AUTAGAVAIA TIPI AUTAGAVAIA: This office of Parliament committee who investigated the latest Auditor's report and they recommended, according to the leader of the group, following a Q&A over the phone this week, they recommended in that report to refer all the allegations and the findings of the Chief Auditor's inquiry into the police for further investigations and possible criminal charges but that report by the officers of parliament committee was never ever debated in the house this year since the report was tabled in June. Now at the last session of Parliament, during the questions and answers, the opposition asked the prime minister directly when this report is going to come to Parliament for debate and the prime minister assured the opposition and the house it will come into the last session of Parliament this month. However, Parliament resumed yesterday but surprisingly it was only the tabling of the supplementary report and the tabling of some of the Ministry of Government reports and that was it. The discussion of this report was not part of the agenda and now Parliament, after the prime minister put a motion, is now adjourned to the 20th of January. So the opposition leader told me after yesterday's session, he hopes that this report will come into the house next month but he is really disappointed and sad about how this whole report has been handled by the government and he says it seems that the prime minister wants to sweep everything under the carpet.
MOERA TUILAEPA-TAYLOR: So I was wondering, can the opposition take these allegations to the police and not have it debated in parliament?
ATA: Well, I asked the opposition leader yesterday after parliament whether they are considering taking legal action and he wants to keep it quiet right now until they have discussions with the party and of course some of the ruling party MPs of their next move if their report will not come into the house next month.
