More anti Casino sentiments

Comment to Samoa Observer editorial by Mataafa Keni Lesa 26/07/10

Malo Mata'afa. Malo Va'asilifiti Moelagi. Malo Fuifui Te'evale (author of EFKS paper 'Va'aiga i a'afiaga o le Kasino' (SO 24/07/10)and everyone who has voiced to the HRPP PM and Cabinet that Samoa does not need a Casino.
A great deal has been said since the governments introduction of the Casino Bill. The PM has said the bill is awaiting its third reading in parliament. It's time for a march with a petition to the HOS. I still think the churches ought to lead a march as ngos are financially bonded to the government.
I pray for the conscience of church goers to do the right thing for Samoa.
Ma le fa'aaloalo.

Meripa Weir
(26-07-2010 21:24

PM Tuilaepa on anticorruption and Tautua

Comments to Samoa Observer on Tuila'epa's anticorruption announcement and Tautua party need to have many many many years in politics.
published 25/07/2010

Of course it is no surprise that PM Tuila’epa reiterates his anti-corruption priority in his public service. After all, it is one of a few usual criteria/conditionality by lenders, aid agencies, investment companies to part with their money for the use of the Samoan government. It is expected of his role as leader of the country. According to a critique of MDG progress by UNCTAD, reforms including anticorruption have tended to encourage locking in the recipient country to the dictating giver and leaves little flexibility to ensure that aid meets domestic needs and involvement by local ownership. The issue of whether the PM can thus stop corruption is questionable because he cannot control the morality of individuals and their ability to put country before self.
As for the PM’s attitude to the Tautua party, it is sad to see that his eleven years of experience as leader of the HRPP government has brought legislation that negate the human rights and political rights of the people of Samoa.
Ma le fa’aaloalo .

Meripa Weir.

Casino Jesse James and Taylor

Comment published Samoa Observer 26/07/10


Mata’afa, ua lelei lava ua aumai i luma lenei mata’upu o lo o tomumumu ai pea tagata lautele i le mau atunu’u o le lalolagi e lavea ai atunu’u Pasefika.
O le fa’afitauli ua fa’ailoa mai, ua lisi fanua mo ni tausaga se tele mo atina’e e fa’atino e kamupani mai fafo. Mulimuli ane ua fa’asefuluina se polofiti a se kamupani a e na o se pasene pe tasi o tupe o le lisi e vaevaeina i aiga uma 30 i le 50. Lona uiga matua le paleni lava se tupe fo’i mai i nai aiga e ona fanua.
Talosaga atu ai lava i le ‘au saini maliega a le Malo mamalu ina ia mamao lava le tofa ma loloto le fa’autaga i nei fuafuaga. Ina ia ‘aua ne i topelauina ni fuafuaga a e manatua tupulaga ma tupulaga ma tupulaga fai a’e.
Ma le fa’aaloalo lava.
Meripa Weir

Samoan Church challenged again

Comment published Samoa Observer 18/07/10 re 'Church accused of blackmail'

The writing has been very clear on the wall for several months through the Samoa Observer, that Samoan churches can no longer escape the challenges presented to them by the public and worshippers locally and globally.
From the fa’a-Mati, the Church’s response to the proposed Casino, to domestic violence, sexual abuse, and the continuous exploitation of the “poor”, (including those practices at funerals identified by Leulua’iali’i Woodroffe) these priority issues are demanding sincere and truthful attention by the churches concerned.
Yet, it appears that these real issues are being denied and or superficially addressed instead of at the policy decision levels of church organisations where reforms and change of practice can be made and demonstrated to the public/worshippers.
I was shocked to read in another news source about the fa’a-Mati being made a laughing matter as if the people who feel the effect were being ignored by the Church.
It is no secret that “doing Church” in Samoa and outside of Samoa is “big business” involving “big” money. I agree with Leulua’iali’i that as such, business must be accountable and transparent. In fact it ought to avoid using “culture” as a scapegoat for unprofessional practice.
The world’s people are suffering the worst global financial crisis ever because of unprofessional and unethical business practice. As a result people everywhere are suffering and no one knows when a true recovery will occur. Churches ought to show true compassion under these circumstances.
Ia Manuia le fa’afouina o le tala’iga o le Talalelei.
Ma le fa’aaloalo lava.

Meripa Weir – Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad.

Add Value to taro

Comment to Samoa Observer re 'Talo breakthrough'

Talo breakthrough, well done farmers
To add value to our talo for domestic use I suggest add to our menu at the food outlets the following - taro-eleni/wahoo/fresh fish vegetable pie or patties, chicken taro cakes with salad, pisupo-taro vegetable quiche, pisupo green pepper pizza with taro, octopus and fried taro with an elegant tomato coconut sauce - are just a few that come to mind.I’m sure the local chefs will find many ways beyond fa’alifu and umu baked to put our taro on the market. The message in all these creative recipes is to give the locals a job to scrape the taro and the farmers to grow more. Malo galue. Meripa Weir.

Banished woman's plea

Comment to Samoa Observer re 'Banished Woman wants ST$20,000' for damage with MP involvement -

Banished woman wants $20,000
Who should hear this woman’s complaint but the police? Hasn’t she made it clear already what her complaint is about? Aren’t the officers who went out to the village supposed to document the woman’s complaint and lodge it at headquarters until the MP returns from overseas? It would at least be evidence that the officers (paid workers) were not loafing when they were called to the village.
If she is quoting ST$20,000 then it must be considerable loss that warrants proper investigation. She would have to be able to afford legal fees for her rights to be heard and protected. Talofa e i si tina.
Ma le fa’aaloalo lava.

Meripa Weir

Matais paid to ensure return of HRPP

Comments on Savea's Editorial

Malo Savea. My vision of Samoa as capable of being a genuine democratic society is pushed further into the unknown distance as "hip pocket" politics seems the norm of the day.
Whilst the Tautua Party is still at its infancy and the voice of MP Levaopolo seems so "alone" in the political wilderness, I am very close to the sad conclusion of the same government being returned at next year's elections.
My only hope is pinned on an element of concern and caring for all the people coming from Deputy Prime Minister Misa. Is there an awakening in the HRRP? I pray that there is.
In my opinion Samoa's future and the future of the poor now lies in that awakening.
Manuia Samoa. Male fa'aaloalo. Meripa Weir.

Comment on Savea's Editorial

Looking at the past Investment rush

You are right Savea. Things don’t go the way they ought to go in Samoa. In fact it is the same situation all over the world. What we think makes sense in our circumstances to solve our local problems do not fit the “formula”or the current economic wisdom that surfaced since the Fall of the Berlin Wall and accelerated in the nineties- about the time of the Samoa Foreign Investment Bill.
It is almost as if ‘looking at the past’ is not part of the “formula” whilst the CCCS plans for a bank, the government’s plan for a casino, it’s land registration act, the road switch, water plans, energy plans, communication plans and dictated crops are all designs that fit the “formula”.
With so much fertile undeveloped land, you’d think that is a major part of the answer to unemployment through developing export oriented diversified crop farming.
By the way those beautiful green tipolo(lemons) are very expensive here so I reckon add that to the list. But I agree to cross taro and ta’amu out then our people don’t have to eat pisupo lololo (the killer!) Yum!
Ma le fa’aaloalo. Meripa Weir.
(Samoa Observer 27/06/10)