Seu le manu 'ae taga'i i le galu.Catch the bird but watch the wave.

The following story illustrates brilliantly the wisdom of our ancestors as passed down through the ages as a guide for living wisely and safely.

“A large ocean liner was headed across the Atlantic from Portsmouth to New York. As it neared its destination at night, a lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, ‘Light, bearing on the starboard bow.’ ‘Is it steady or moving astern?’ the captain called out.

The lookout replied, ‘Steady, captain,’ which meant they were on a collision course. The captain then called to the signalman, ‘Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.’ Back came a signal, ‘Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.’ The captain said, ‘Send, I’m a Captain, change course 20 degrees.’ ‘I’m a seaman, second class,’ came the reply.

‘You had better change course 20 degrees.’ By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, ‘Send, this is the mighty ocean liner, HMS Franconia. Change course 20 degrees.’ Back came the flashing light,’ This is a lighthouse, suggest you change course 20 degrees.’ Anonymous.

It is obvious that the liner, HMS Franconia, would not survive a crash against the lighthouse. But our take is not to pinpoint which is the liner and which is the lighthouse of the shining lights of our Samoan political voyage. We are all aware of the amazing achievement by the Hon. Laauli Leuatea Polata'ivao Schmidt and his Faatuatua-i-le-Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party in the defeat of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) after some four decades in power. But we also know that without the two vital votes of independent members, Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata'afa and Hon. Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, FAST would not have gotten the levers of government power.

We do not know what else is involved in the rift between the FAST Chairman and the Prime Minister, which has now divided the party into two factions: Fiame, with 15 MPs, and Laauli, with 20 MPs. What is known is that Laauli refused to resign his Cabinet post when he was charged with a number of alleged criminal offences, and the Prime Minister had to terminate his ministerial appointment.

For now, it seems certain that neither Fiame, Laauli, nor Tuilaepa and his 18 HRPP MPs want an early dissolution of Parliament; So, what happens until the general elections next year is anybody's guess. So, until next year, the country will continue with its two-headed Judiciary and its unestablished Land and Titles Court of Appeal and Review.

Perhaps the easiest and most reasonable solution to the stalemate at the Land and Titles Court is that suggested by the HRPP Deputy Leader Lauofo Pierre Lauofo: Appoint the LTC President Lesa Rapi Va'ai as the Head of the LTC of Appeal and Review; move the Deputy President to the top job and appoint another lawyer as deputy president.

Will they accept it? Yeah, right! Manuia le vaiaso fou.