Transcript
The Prime Minister of Samoa has defended his embattled finance minister, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga, who has been accused of corruption and incompetence from within his own ruling party.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says most of the long list of accusations sent to him in an anonymous letter and leaked to the media, were based on misunderstandings and misinformation.
He has dismissed calls from the opposition party to sack the minister and introduce an independent tribunal against corruption.
Tuilaepa spoke to Alex Perrottet, saying the disunity in government is simply disappointed members seeking the limelight.
TUILAEPA SAILELE MALIELEGAOI: Much of the confusion is due to misinformation and misunderstanding. For instance, the fit-out costs breakdown for the office of the minster, put at $600,000, did not include the office of two associate ministers - the offices of the first and second secretaries, and the reception area, which, of course, reduced the average cost down to between $80,000 and $90,000.
ALEX PERROTTET: If I can just go back to the party caucus vote, it looks like 10 people either wanted Faumuina sacked or moved on and 9 voted for him to say. Is that not a vote of no confidence in him from the caucus?
TSM: A breakdown of the vote, really, was 3 wanted to remove the minister, 7 wanted him to continue, but that he should be reshuffled to another ministry, and 9 wanted to continue on. So the vote, really, was 3 for the sacking of the minister and 16 for the continuation, although 7 wanted him shifted to another ministry and 9 wanted him to continue.
AP: But a majority of them did want him out of the ministry? 10 people?
TSM: No, that's wrong. Only three.
AP: OK. But seven others wanted him moved to another ministry.
TSM: And nine wanted him to continue.
AP: The Tautua Party has called for an independent tribunal to investigate corruption in Samoa. That sort of move would need bipartisan support. Would you support that move?
TSM: There is a government audit. There is also the ombudsman. And we already have investigate bodies.
AP: OK, they're saying that the offices of the ombudsman and the auditor and the attorney general are not sufficiently independent from the government and there's closer links and conflicts of interest there, even with yourself. What do you say to that?
TSM: That's rubbish. These two officers report directly to parliament.
AP: And you're happy that the government is transparent?
TSM: Yes. Samoa is well-known amongst the Pacific islands to be the most transparent, the most accountable.
