Sala takes on Tourism, P.M. reshuffles Cabinet

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 01 July 2016, 12:00AM

The Minister of Police, Sala Fata Pinati, has had two new portfolios added to his workload. 

He has been given the Samoa Tourism Authority and the Public Trust office. 

This was confirmed by Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi yesterday. 

The portfolios were initially allocated to the Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Selafi Purcell..  

However, Tuilaepa said the changes were neccessary because the workload on Lautafi is too much. 

“He (Sala) was looking after the Ministry of Police and Prison,” Tuilaepa explained. 

“But he will now look after the Public Trust, the Ministry of Police and Samoa Tourism Authority.

“Prisons will be moved to Tialavea.”

The Minister for Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt has taken on board the Ministry of Prisons and Correction Services that used to be with Sala. 

According to Tuilaepa, now that Tourism and Public Trusts has been removed from Lautafi, the Minister has two major portfolios to look after and the same with Tialavea. 

Lautafi retains the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour and the Ministry of Public Enterprises. 

“One of the main reasons for the reshuffle is because these Ministries, Police and Prison are rarely put together under one Minister,” said Tuilaepa. 

“What happens is (when one Minister looks after Prison and Police) they will focus mainly on general policing and neglect Prisons. 

“For most countries overseas, the Minister of Police is different from the Minister of Prison.”

Tuilaepa said he had left it the way it was to observe and see how it goes. 

“I left it like that thinking it won’t affect anything,” he said. 

“But I saw that what the other countries are doing is right to have different Ministers (for Prison and Police). 

"So this morning (yesterday) the Ministers started with the new changes.”

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 01 July 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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