Fiame Encourages Active Participation Amongst Party Members

The FAST Party Leader, Fiame Naomi Mataafa (R) and Deputy Leader, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao (L).

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 09 MARCH 2021: The newly elected leader of the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, wants equal participation and active discussion amongst its members.

Fiamē was elected unanimously in the FAST party’s election candidates meeting yesterday after she was nominated by the party Chairman, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao.

“I feel encouraged as a new party leader that people are actually having these discussions that I had not had with my old party for some time,” she said.

As the new leader, she noted the challenges that any political party faces and the question on what brings people together.

“I think if you have clarity on that and the base upon which people come together, and that is quite clear with the issues such as the rule of law, good governance and equal participation for people in the economy,” she said.

She is excited by the fact that FAST as a new party has a new and exciting organisation and election strategy and members are tied together by a common purpose.

“And that purpose is to change the government,” she stated.

The FAST Party caucus after yesterdays meeting.

With HRPP she said the interest is switched to the interest of the party rather than what the party was originally established for, the interest of the people.

“I have learnt a few lessons but it’s not that the issues are new, but rather how people are seeing it and how they want to resolve it.”

In accepting the leadership role, she also told FAST members that they have laid a burden on her.

“But I can take the burden knowing that this party will work together as a team, and that is my kind of leadership,” she said.

“We want to achieve new results or better results so I’m feeling very excited and honoured to lead,” she said.

She is confident that working as a team and keeping an open platform for discussion is a bonus for FAST’s strong stance.

Fiamē has been the guest speaker at the FAST party’s election rallies in the villages and electoral constituencies in the past two months.

The level of campaigning with party candidates meeting voters face to face and explaining their policies and manifesto and using billboards to promote the party and its candidates has been criticised by the Prime Minister as a foreign concept.

“Political parties and campaigning on policies is nothing new (for Samoa). It’s the democratic process at work,” said Fiamē.

“Samoans have done it for years and made easier over time with our personal and established family connections,” she said.

The party also elected La’auli as Deputy Leader. Fiamē said they have been elected to lead the party into the 9 April general elections and those elected from its 53 candidates, will again vote on the party leadership.

As she is already elected unopposed, she could well be Samoa’s very first female Prime Minister if her party wins the elections.