Tuilaepa, Bainimarama and the pawn called Bluesky!

By Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa 01 September 2016, 12:00AM

On Tuesday this week an email arrived.

It said: “We will be issuing a statement tomorrow from Bluesky on the news at hand.” 

“However, we wanted to point you to media releases published, advising that Bluesky’s parent company, Amper has decided to sell its shares to ATH for Bluesky Pacific. 

“This was announced yesterday evening in Spain (Samoan time).”

The email then advised: “Please look at the following links below for more information about the transaction.”

And then the email warned: “Bluesky is still in the process of finalizing the media statement and is seeking approval to release it.” 

“We expect to release tomorrow.”

That’s today.

The email ended with a sentence in capital letters that read: “PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DONT HAVE APPROVAL TO RELEASE TO MEDIA. PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE US ON THE PAPER.”

Still, whatever the writer’s reasons are, we respect his request. He will not be named here. 

However, we believe that those two words in his email - “Amper” and “ATH” - are so unfamiliar to the majority of the Samoan public, so that a little more explanation is in order.

So let’s see. 

Amper is the name of the Spanish telecommunications equipment maker that owns Samoa’s Bluesky Pacific.

ATH, on the other hand, stands for Amalgamated Telecom Holding, the Fijian-owned company to whom Amper is said to be in the process of selling Bluesky Pacific.

The reported price is $79.2 million.

Still, now that the deal is on the verge of being consummated, with Bluesky sold to Fijian-owned ATH so that the company will soon be run by Fijian professionals, where are their Samoan counterparts who are most likely to be replaced as a result, to find employment?

Now that, like it or not, is the question that we believe someone in our government should answer. 

Well, how about our Prime Minister, Tuilapea Sailele Maleilegaoi, who obviously knows a lot more than us about these things? 

Still, I suppose the idea that Bluesky Pacific is being taken over by a Fijian company, should be reason enough for our government to be a little more respectful of old Frank Bainimarama, clearly Tuilaepa’s arch rival who also happens to be the Prime Minister of Fiji.

The two of them should work together I reckon, instead of attacking each other publicly all the time as if they were not from the same South Pacific Ocean.

 And now that old “Baini” is about to score another spectacular coup, another arrow for his quiver for saying out loud, perhaps it’s time the two of them agree to shake hands, and wish each other well. 

And while they’re at it, perhaps they should pay attention to the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Bluesky Pacific Group, Mr Aoe’e Adolfo Montenegro, who’s telling them:

 “We have fully briefed the Governments, our other local investors and our Bluesky team about the transaction.” 

“It is my and the managements team’s priority, to ensure that we continue to look after the interests of all our shareholders, staff, and customers throughout this process.” 

“Our teams remain focused on continuing to serve and add value to our customers and our local communities.”

Now go ahead and read Mr. Adolfo Montenegro’s full statement below.

By Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa 01 September 2016, 12:00AM
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