Minister of Works suing more people on Landcruiser defamation claims

By Talaia Mika & Staff Reporters

APIA, SAMOA – 16 JUNE 2022: The Minister of Works, Olo Fiti Vaai has confirmed he has given instructions for legal action to proceed against an Australian based Samoan radio, Maota o Viiga for defamation.

It is the latest development in the evolving story of the Ministers Landcruiser where the online radio programme is reported to have relayed the accusations made by the Opposition Leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi about the Landcruiser that he said was bought with public funds but has been registered under the Minister’s name as his personal property. Tuilaepa said the action is synonymous to theft.

Olo Fiti Vaai reaffirmed on EFKS TV Soalepule programme last night that Tuilaepa has gone too far in defaming him, his family and his constituency and he was not holding back on this issue.

He explained that he had forgiven past incidences like the manner in which Tuilaepa made fun of his matai title while representing the Saleaula constituency and the Government investigation launched into his freight business “to stop me from raising issues against (Tuilaepa’s) government.”

On the Landcruiser, Tuilaepa has implicated the Minister of being involved in corrupt practices in registering a government vehicle with a private number plate under his name.

In response, Olo showed on the TV programme, the Landcruisers registration certificate as under the Ministry of Works.

He then showed a list of government owned vehicles that carry private number plates that are used by different ministries and he pointed to 3 vehicles used by Women in Business, an NGO which Olo said employed Tuilaepa’s daughter.

“Why Women in Business and not Samoa Victim Support or other NGOs?” he asked.

The registration form provided by the Minister for the Landcruiser in question.

The Minister told the TV programme, that Tuilaepa has forgotten that even the vehicle he used when he was Prime Minister had a private number plate and that all is misinforming the public.

“I want Maota o Viiga and Tuilaepa to know there is no turning back in this case because they have put disgrace on my name and that of my family and the respect I carry on behalf of my constituency, so I’m taking them to court,” he said.

“So that they can show the judge their evidence and I will show mine.”

Constructive Opposition with hard evidence
Olo who is serving his fourth term as an MP, had been a lone Opposition voice for most of his political career. He said critical issues raised by the Opposition must be constructive and based on research and hard evidence.

He is questioning Tuilaepa’s evidence of the vehicles registration under his name that the media is now pursing but still has not provided.

Olo has clarified that the vehicle is indeed under a private number plate but is still registered as government property under the Ministry of Works.

“The reason why it has a private number plate is because the vehicle was purchased under the Waterfront Project funded by New Zealand; and until the project is complete and all the project assets are transferred to the Government, only then we can put a government number plate on the vehicle,” he said.

The Minister told EFKS TV last night that the public’s attention has been drawn to his Landcruiser, to distract from the changes that some people made outside of Parliament to the Constitution and Land and Titles Act 2020.

A Special Parliamentary Committee investigation has pointed to some of the officials involved and who had breached the process and Parliaments Standing Orders in making the changes including a change to the Constitution.

Parliament has referred the matter to the Attorney General and Police to press charges against those involved.

Olo said that Tuilaepa was the Prime Minister when all these happened.