Here is a question worth thinking about. Why does the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt prefer to give his so-called interviews at a media company registered in New Zealand, the same one that infamously broadcasted the tales spun by Sam Sua?

It seems that the minister has his chosen media where he knows he would not be asked the hard questions. Perhaps, these are the so-called media that would allow the minister to talk without fact-checking his comments.

There is a deep sense of irony especially when the cabinet minister talks about issues impacting the lives of Samoans in a very sugar-coated manner but fails to answer questions posed by this newspaper that would allow him to be seen more transparently.

It caused a few chuckles when the minister in his ‘interview’ turned his focus to the Samoa Observer and attempted to once again deflect the real issue by accusing the newspaper of playing favourites and having lost its ways.

He reasons that the newspaper is towing a line because the Letters to the Editor from the opposition get printed.

We doubt La'auli has thoroughly perused the newspaper, as it features a wide array of stories daily, covering new project launches, facility openings, road inaugurations, and handover ceremonies, among others. 

Additionally, we've highlighted success stories from initiatives like the $1 million district development project. Despite this, we appreciate the feedback and suggestions. We recognise his appreciation for our team's work, even commending the Editor in Chief and Publisher for their service over the years.

Be under no illusion Mr. Minister, this newspaper from the day it was established, the day it printed its first edition, has never feared nor favoured anyone. The sole reason for the birth of this newspaper was to question corruption, shed light on matters that were not transparent, and allow the public a voice.

That is what we have been doing and we will continue to do so. Do not forget that the Human Rights Protection Party now form the opposition and if they want to voice concerns, like any member of the public, we would provide that voice to them.

As we did to the Minister of Justice when she wished to respond to the opposition's claims. The irony here is that the government does not wish to talk to the Samoa Observer when questioned on matters of accountability. Write a letter Mr. Minister and we will publish your views as well, sadly, you have not chosen to do anything as such but constantly told journalists at the Samoa Observer that you do not wish to comment on the questions that have been put to you.

Why is that? If you do not have the answers to the question, you can tell us and we will return to you when you have the answers. All we want is the truth to be out there because that is what the public needs.

How can the minister forget the months, weeks, and days leading up to the elections of 2021? You wanted a change for the better. You wanted to bring Samoa out from under the prolonged leadership of HRPP where one man held the power for too long.

You needed a voice then and it was provided to you and similarly, it would be provided to people who want to raise questions and highlight the wrongdoings of government, government bodies, people in power, and things that are against humanity.

We will continue to shed light on the positive and hold everyone accountable, and that includes you. You have made an election promise and not fulfilled it, we will highlight that, if you have crossed a line when you should not have, we will highlight that and that goes for every cabinet minister.

The Samoa Observer will be critical when there is a need to be. Samoa Observer has given political parties the tools to reach large numbers of people and inform them on key issues ranging from policies to elections. We are an enabler for democracy; having better-educated voters would lead to a more legitimate government.

We ensure that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Information serves a “checking function” by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them.

We provide the public with in-depth, factual information to inform their political decision-making. We act as a watchdog against abuses of power and offer a forum for the exchange of opinions, experiences, and perspectives.

The Samoa Observer extends an invitation to any cabinet minister to talk with any of our journalists, tell your story, and answer our questions, in the end, we all want a better Samoa.

We would also like to point out that no one is hiding behind anonymity, unlike the many fake profiles used to either bolster or tarnish images. The names of those on the Editorial Board are published daily on Page 12 of this newspaper.