Unless you lack sensibility, the show in Parliament today (6 March 2025) looked like a setup! But with all that roar and thunder, it fizzled out, dead in the water.
This second motion of no confidence instigated by La’auli, was going to fail as the Opposition made their position clear on Tuesday that they won’t support it.
So instead of discontinuing with the motion, the Speaker ordered the Movers and Opposition to resubmit their proposals with amendments, for a showdown today.
It begged the question….Why?
Today, we saw the Speaker allow free rein to La’auli and his team to unload, unleash their venom and feeble attempts to justify their motion of no confidence, on Honourable PM afioga Fiame Naomi Mataafa. They were given unfettered opportunity to throw her the kitchen sink. They went to town on her inabilities to govern, her non-existent intuition and lack of people’s skills.
This was a setup.
But in a kinda rub-a-dub style, the tables turned and the world witnessed an incredible display of self-promoting sentiments, the self-serving interests, the confirmation of their disregard for the nation’s wellbeing, but their own. We saw accusations of Ministers profiting from their positions courtesy of the ‘Red’ brand, the label that afforded the PM her position and privilege, while they’ve lost their salaries and govt vehicles.
We saw the internal squabbles, the dirty laundry of this pathetic group of amateurs, played out for the world to see. Their puppet Speaker had already declared a fortnight ago that these were matters to be dealt with, outside Parliament, but it seemed like they’ve shot themselves in the foot, and of their own volition.
And for an uncoordinated, unprofessional and ill-advised attack, it fell flat on its face, doomed to fail from the outset. The leader’s credibility is shattered after months of claiming that he had 29 members on his side. That claim was proven to be a lie and their reputation is irreparable in the eyes of the Samoan people and many Fast supporters.
This was hot on the heels of another scandal where allegations of a ‘scam’ fundraising was revealed, when they went on a global tour, under the guise of a headquarter’s fund, but allegedly, paid out to service an $800K+ overdraft, to pay for services tendered, for the party’s usage of La’auli’s facilities.
Thankfully, a lawyer and seasoned MP, afioga Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre Meredith, pointed out the inconsistencies of allegations against the PM. Some MPs who spoke for the motion, were under suspicion of breaching the laws, on issues such as the Kite Runner, the Stock Exchange in Hong Kong and the 400-acre deal with Pago, without Cabinet’s knowledge.
Minister Olo Fiti Va’ai tried to move a motion of no confidence against the Speaker and his Deputy, but he and seconder, Minister Leatinu’u Wayne Fong, were ejected from Parliament. It was a show of uncouth, unprofessional leadership from the Speaker. He lost his temper and shouted obscenities towards the Ministers, then turned on PM Fiame Naomi Mataafa. It is the first time in history, that a Speaker went against a sitting PM, and a clear sign that these Fast factions are on the road to nowhere!
The second motion of no confidence was defeated by a majority of 34 – 19, a sure indication that La’auli had been untruthful about his supporter numbers (29) for months. History was made as Honourable Fiame Naomi Mataafa, the first lady Prime Minister of Samoa, survived a second vote of no confidence in as many weeks.
