Former PM told he was advised the timing for the aircraft not the right

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 31 JANUARY 2022: The former Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi today urged the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Government to reconsider their decision regarding the Samoa Airways Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Tuilaepa who was admitted at hospital before the lockdown, told Parliament today said the deal his Cabinet entered with the European airline company to lease the Boeing 737-800 was very cheap, especially at the time of limited interest in such Boeing aircrafts.

“You do not get such deals anymore,” he told Parliament.

“There were decisions made by the former Cabinet to restructure the Samoa Airways company as a remedy to the company’s (financial) problems,” he said.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa intervened and told Tuilaepa that her Cabinet has a different view from Tuilaepa’s former Cabinet, and that their financial personnel are very much capable.

She also reminded Tuilaepa that the recommendation given to his former Cabinet by the advisers at the time, was not to bring the airline as it was not the right time.

However, the former cabinet went ahead with the deal and brought the airline which underwent security and safety issues in Brisbane, Australia and the FAST Government has decided to return the aircraft and forgo the lease.

One of the advisers was Tuilaepa’s son who was the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Finance at the time.

Spinoffs & multiplier effects
Tuilaepa was not put off easily and continued to hammer the airline issue.

He pointed out that the Government was only looking at making money and not the bigger picture of the spinoffs and multiplier effects on the economy.

He suggested utilizing the aircraft to deliver cargo such as fish export abroad.

Fiame agreed that there are various economic benefits from the aircraft, but with the borders closed, it’s a guessing matter – mea taumate.

Exporting cargo is not a guessing matter and New Zealand and Fiji airlines are benefiting from this service, said Tuilapea.

The Minister responsible for Samoa Airways Leatinuu Wayne Fong explained to Tuilaepa that the aircraft has a small cargo capacity.

Tuilapea who claimed to have been the Minister of the Airlines for many years argued that it can, if the passenger seats are folded making way for cargo.

“That cannot be done because only 20 kilos are allowed under the New Zealand law,” to which Tuilaepa said the Minister did not understand the issue.

The Minister for Civil Aviation, Olo Fiti Vaai then reminded Tuilaepa that he was absent from Parliament when he announced that the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) has declined granting of the Airworthiness Certificate for the safety of the aircraft due to the unavailability of vital information the Samoa Airways company was to provide.

Olo also reminded Tuilaepa that the advice given to Tuilaepa’s Cabinet was that the timing wasn’t right to bring in the aircraft.

He also reminded Tuilaepa that it was during Tuilaepa’s tenure as the minister responsible for Samoa’s airline, that Polynesia Airlines Company went bankrupt.

During the parliament’s night session, the former Minister for Samoa Airways, Lautafi Selafi Purcell again brought up the airlines issue and he doubted PASO’s position in declining the air worthiness of the aircraft as it was PASO that the airline had dealt with before.

Olo then read from the communication from PASO that mentioned that the Airline had not provided the vital information in order for the aircrafts air worthiness to be certified.