Dear Editor 

Re: What dictatorship? Samoa is a democracy!

Samoa: Revolution, Evolution or Death.

Evolution so that Samoans become strong in the areas of critical thinking and argument is required. Those leaders tempted to steal needed to be tamed and a knowledge of Democracy and Tyranny is needed- gleaned from the History of Man.

Thomas Paine, 1776, said:

A long habit of not thinking wrong, gives it the superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable cry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.

Martin Luther King Jr. said:

History is the long and tragic story of the fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.

In Samoa, rotten money is preventing change that is desperately needed to save the nation.

Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) said in 1996:

Unless we fundamentally change this system, ultimately campaign finance will consume our democracy.

Plutarch wrote how money corrupted elections and ruined Rome.

Greedy leaders have always danced and feasted while people suffered:

The HRPP fear the free thinking independently educated Samoan:

`Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless; indifferent to authority; careless of the well-tried wisdom of the ages. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. It sees a man, a feeble speck, surrounded by unfathomable depths of silence; yet it bears itself proudly, as unmoved as if it were lord of the universe.’

- Bertrand Russell, The Basic writings of Bertrand Russell P.411. 1903-1959,ed. Lester E. Denonn and Robert E. Egner (NY Simon & Schuster,1961)

How shamelessly Samoa’s Corrupt Politicians have prepared their escape route:

Section 22 (3) of the 2013 Audit Act sets out the rights of those being investigated.

Section 22 (4) sets out that any information gained from someone claiming privilege may not be used to incriminate them.

If a person claims privilege under subsection (3), the information or explanation given, the document or thing produced or the record signed is not admissible in evidence against the person in: (a) a criminal proceeding; or

(b) a proceeding for the imposition of a penalty, other than a proceeding in respect of -

(i) an offence under this Division; or

(ii) the falsity of any statement contained in the information, explanation, document or record or the falsity of the thing.

This appears to mean that people may be prosecuted for hiding evidence or lying about it, but not for any crimes that may be proven by evidence they provide themselves, if a person does claim privilege.

Maua Faleauto