Transcript
AUTAGAVAIA TIPI AUTAGAVAIA - It was a very emotional farewell speech. Thank the Prime Minister and the members of parliament, who had given himself and this good lady the opportunity, given them 10 years to serve the country and Head of State, but not only did he thank the Prime Minister, parliament, the government, the executive, the people of Samoa and also the Governor of American Samoa and all the leaders of the American Samoa government for their support and their love. He also apologised for whatever wrong doings, but it's emotional because the way he address the country.
SARA VUI-TALITU - Because he served for quite a long time...
ATA - Not only was he a member of parliament, he was a Prime Minister, he was a cabinet minister, he was a member of the Council of Deputies and all the way up to the Head of State and the Prime Minister said nothing that anyone of this time would ever achieve the milestone that Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi had achieved.
SVT - What word would you use to describe him?
ATA - Tupua is a very passionate and humble leader, but he is a true blue politician. He's been a politician all of his life. He's a very articulate kind of leader. Very intelligent and not only in political science, but he's very intelligent in culture and most people that come from overseas especially schools from New Zealand, students who are part Samoan, they always greet him and meet with him for him to share his knowledge with them.
SVT - We have a new person who has been appointed to the role. What can you tell us about him?
ATA - He's a former police officer. He left the Ministry of Police when he was holding the rank of Commission Officer. He's a lawyer by profession as well and then he left the Ministry of Police when he was appointed by the government as one of the members of Council of Deputies. It was also the former Head of Government's Public Trust office.
SVT - So he's done quite a bit, hasn't he, in the community?
ATA - Yeah he was running his own law firm and up until his time as a member of the Council of Deputies, he was still practicing as a lawyer.
SVT - Do you think he was earmarked for this role earlier on?
ATA - Yeah he's been the MR for this role. Tuilaepa and his media interview was saying that looking from the beginning when Samoa became independent, the whole of the Malietoa title had reached the position of Head of State. So was Tupua Tamasese title. Now Tui Atua has two terms Head of State. Now it's the Tuimaleali'ifano, which is another paramount chief, another tama aiga, now moving on to the top position of Head of State. Another Tuimaleali'ifano way back after independence was a member of the Council of Deputies and that Tuimaleali'ifano paramount title holder was still in that position until his death, so the tama aiga title of the Tuimaleali'ifano is now moving up to the Head of State.
