As the age-old expression goes, the ball is now in the Samoa National Provident Fund chair’s court, and how he plays it would determine the future of the superannuation body.

On Friday morning, the Cabinet reinstated the SNPF chairman Panoa Papalii Moala on conditions that he irons out internal friction between the board, management, and staff in what they described as a toxic working environment.

This is the result of an investigation that took almost three months following issues raised by the senior management of SPNF alleging conflict of interest and claims of non-compliance with internal policies and protocols.

The outcome of that independent investigation from the Ministry of Finance (M.O.F.) and Ministry of Public Enterprises (M.P.E.) was considered by the Cabinet and gave the all-clear on Wednesday following intense discussions.

Hats off to Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa who in the presence of the Minister for Finace Lautimuia Uelese Vaai and Minister for Public Enterprises Leatinuu Wayne So’oalo told the chair what was needed to be said.

Fiame conveyed to Panoa the decision from the Cabinet to reinstate him and the chairman was given the opportunity to repair what has been viewed as a toxic working relationship between the board and S.N.P.F.’s staff.

Lautimuia told the Samoa Observer that the discussion in Cabinet on the matter was “not easy” and a FK (Cabinet Directive) will be released soon to notify S.N.P.F. of the latest development.

“The key element of the investigation was whether it was proven or not that the chairman acted unlawfully,” said Lautimuia.

“The only thing that was proven is there were breaches of the governance policy but there was no proof of theft, fraud, or forgery. That was not substantiated.

“Cabinet came to the conclusion to reinstate the chairman on conditions that he reconciles internal issues between the board, management and staff.”

While the investigation was on foot, there was ongoing tension between the board and staff and that relationship gap intensified as the chairman went public alleging staff were incompetent in carrying out their work.

It is good to know that the leaders of this nation have acknowledged that the work environment at SNPF has become toxic. Much of this allegedly has to do with the micromanagement and alleged intimidation suggested by the management.

Papalii now has the chance to be a better man and right the wrongs as directed by the Prime Minister. As the chairman of the SNPF, he should stick to his role and let the management and staff do their work. The next steps by the chair could most possibly decide if the body that is accountable for most Samoan’s retirement either rises or falls.

The SNPF has the ability to drive investments in a positive direction and become the backbone of growth in Samoa. If the working environment at the fund is toxic, the full potential of what SNPF can do for Samoa will never be recognised.

Papalii has been given the golden opportunity to be a true leader and guide an institution that has enormous potential. The success of any institution is leadership and that is reflected in the quality of productivity.

As a leader, it is essential to understand that toxic work environments and toxic bosses can take various forms, such as harassment, bullying, discrimination, micromanagement, and much more. Recognising the different manifestations of toxicity in the workplace is crucial in developing strategies to address them effectively. Such behaviour can create a hostile work environment that leaves employees feeling anxious and unsafe, affecting their work performance and overall quality of life.

Furthermore, toxic bosses can be a significant source of stress for employees, as they may use fear tactics, intimidation, and power imbalances to exert control over their employees. This can create a toxic work culture that perpetuates negative behaviour and undermines employee morale and productivity.

Fiame showed good leadership qualities by directing Papalii to rid of the toxicity affecting the SNPF. The government has put its faith in Papalii and it is time he shows why he is worthy of that. We urge Papalii to take SNPF to new heights as the chair and not as a CEO.