Ousted Cabinet Minister Challenge PM on his Termination

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 14 January 2025 – Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo, one of the three Cabinet Ministers terminated by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa yesterday is challenging his termination.

Toelupe was the Minister of Communication, Information and Technology (MCIT) and has written to Fiame asking for reasons behind her decision to terminate him.

In response during a press conference today, Fiame said Samoa is a free country.

“But I’m not taking the matter lightly,” she said.

In her first press conference in a long time, Fiame explained to the media this morning, that she called one-on-one meetings with all her Cabinet ministers yesterday, as she wanted to know whether she still had the trust of the ministers she appointed.

This was after a majority of the FAST Party caucus including some of her Cabinet, handed her a signed letter that questioned confidence in her leadership.

“The question of trust is not an easy question and I wanted to know if my Ministers still trusted me to continue working with me and me trusting them,” she explained.

She noted that under the current law only the Prime Minister has the authority to appoint ministers.

“It is not a contractual position where a terminated person questions a decision or ask for something,” she explained.

She believes that in the Ministers letter, he did not think that the question of trust or confidence in her or him can warrant a termination.

“Of course it affects it because a working relationship is based on trust,” she said.

Ministers terminated for signing letter of no confidence?
Fiame was asked if her decision to terminate the three Ministers, Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo, Mulipola Anarosa Molio’o and Leota laki was based on trust alone or because they signed the letter of no confidence against her as Prime Minister.

“On both,” she said.

The majority of the Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party signed the letter of no confidence against Fiame, however some who signed had been lured across with ministerial positions as Fiame is swearing in replacements for the four terminated ministers tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.

Fiame believes all these issues including the vote of no confidence stemmed from the charges against terminated Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt where she had been targeted with words issued against her.

She clarified that her position as Prime Minister is a matter for Parliament to decide, but it is the party caucus that decides her future as the FAST Party Leader.