The decision by Aleipata Itupa I Luga member of parliament Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua to resign as the Minister for Commerce, Industry, and Labour following criminal charges for a traffic offence is an honourable one.

This was the right course of action. Faleomavaega’s decision to resign from his ministerial portfolio shows respect for the rule of law and the protection of the cabinet’s integrity. This also shows good governance and accountability for his actions.

The MP should be commended for taking the action before even being asked to step down by the Prime Minister. He was charged on Monday and by Tuesday he had tendered in his resignation. Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has emphasised the importance of adhering to the rule of law, stating that any cabinet minister facing legal issues must accept the consequences, including the loss of their portfolio, to address the allegations made against them.

This is what the former Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Laauli Leuatea Schmidt should have done after he was charged on 3 January. Laauli’s indecision not to step down had a chain reaction that has left the nation in tatters. While the leader and chairman of the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party still has not acknowledged this, the political indifference created in the ruling party was because of his not stepping down.

Had he stepped down, FAST would not have been divided into two factions. What is more appalling is that his supporters wanted Fiame to exercise her powers to order the police not to lay charges. We all know what happened next.

The nation was divided and is now in a political crisis. All this could have been avoided if Laauli had done the honourable thing of stepping down from office. Laauli was charged with fabricating evidence, conspiracy to commit an offence, defamation, harassment using electronic means, and insulting words. These like Faleomavaega’s charges are criminal charges. A good leader would have chosen the honourable and righteous path.

The precedent has been the world over by governments who believe in good governance. In some cases, even an accusation was enough for a public figure to step down until his or her name was cleared.

In November 2024, Canada's Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault stepped down amid allegations he had misrepresented his background. The statement from the Canadian government was that Boissonnault would step away from Cabinet effective immediately ... (and) focus on clearing the allegations against him.

In July 2023, New Zealand Justice Minister Kiri Allan was charged with careless use of a motor vehicle and refusing to accompany a police officer following a car crash. In a statement soon after the incident, Allan said she would resign from all her portfolios immediately.

In January 2024, Singapore Transport Minister S. Iswaran, who was facing corruption charges, resigned from the ruling People’s Action Party.

In 2016, Iceland's prime minister stepped down as the first major casualty of the leaked Panama Papers that have shone a spotlight on offshore finance. The leaks, from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, showed Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson owned an offshore company with his wife but had not declared it when he entered parliament.

The nation is brimming with ambitious political leaders, but sadly very few matchups to the traits of good leadership. In fact, many political leaders appear to be severely lacking in some of the most essential qualities of a good leader, such as integrity and accountability. It’s no coincidence that the word “politician” has many negative connotations. Experience tells us that there is only a handful that comes near to the principles of leadership and shows strong indicators of a successful political leader.

Political leadership requires a leader to focus on a country’s long-term betterment, above and beyond any short-term personal gains. Strong political leadership requires a mixture of charm and honesty, and the capacity to evaluate a circumstance and make a judgment based on what will be better for the majority.

Above all, leadership in a democratic system needs statesmanship – as compared to just becoming a ‘politician’ – which implies possessing the honesty and ability to stand up for what is fair, even though it means resigning from a government post.