BETWEEN THE LINES

New Ministry mooted

Do we need yet another Ministry?

One wit has suggested the new ministry should be called M.O.F. - for Ministry of Fa’afetai! 

No, seriously when you look at a generous continuing donor waiting for three months to hand over an expensive and vital vehicle plus much-needed medical equipment, one wonders.

Once again it was our P.M. to the rescue of the Ministry of Health, who embarrassingly could not get their act together to organize a one-hour ceremony to thank a generous donor so that the donations could be put to use soon after they arrived.

What a farce!

However all was well that ended well and Tuilaepa expressed his appreciation.

He was supported by an impressive, back up of Cabinet Ministers and a range of medical professionals, some of whom who looked as though they had been summonsed at gunpoint.    

Unfortunately we have been told that Health is not the only Ministry to keep donors waiting, waiting, waiting to be acknowledged for their support and good will!

M.E.S.C. is another culprit and yet strangely both these ministries are always prioritized by the present government at election times.

So are we to understand that despite the numerous Ministers, Associate Ministers, C.E.O.’s and A.C.E.O.’s, a three month wait for a simple acceptance and thank you is the new norm?  

 

And further …

It never ceases to amaze us that after giving our reporters the run around – not responding to them, ignoring them and saying “tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow”, government employees are quickly on the phone after an article has been published without their input. 

Then, apparently reporters are the bad guys.

Wrong.

The world will not stop spinning and wait for you.

It actually goes on without you and you will have to scramble and catch up.

Reality check – news contains the word,  new. 

 

Apathy over revenue 

The number of people who turned up to the public consultation hosted by the Ministry of Revenue can say a lot. Not even 10 people were there to listen to what was happening, if you didn’t count the media who were there to report on the event. 

Given this is the issue everyone has been talking about these past few weeks, it was sad to see that only three members of the public were there to ask questions. 

And if it weren’t for the media, it would’ve been just three people plus the employees of the Ministry of Revenue. 

This number was not what was expected. 

Did the media fail to do their job in informing the people about this, or did the Ministry not inform and invite people to attend?

Perhaps people were aware but did not want to go because they felt it wouldn’t make a difference?

We’ll never know. 

The concern is, where will M.O.R. get the recommendations from when they write their report to present to parliament?

 

SNAP! 

COINCIDENCE

What a stroke of luck that the Government considering sponsoring Joseph Parker should coincide with the Revenue Minister’s search for new money.

Call it development if you like, (when you are a one party parliament you can call it whatever you like) but a suggested 4 million in tax from pastors matches up beautifully with that same sum or thereabouts which is needed for J.P.      

Samoa Observer

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