Dear Editor,

The recent profiling of the Minister of Women on social media as the saviour of the Samoan economy has raised more questions than answers.

This is the same Cabinet Minister who lost the confidence of her Prime Minister as the finance minister and was reshuffled out of that role.

Now, she is an expert on macroeconomics, fiscal policy, community affairs, sustainable development, childhood education, women empowerment, agriculture, infrastructure, and other specialties which are under the direct responsibilities of 13 other Cabinet Ministers.

A real Jack of all trades!

The article would have been easier to understand if the Minister had limited her explanations of Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Economics to the actual return on investment of the $255,000,000 tālā district scheme.

An explanation to the Samoan taxpayer and donors of the long-term economic impact of wheelbarrows, weedkiller, chainsaws, barbed wire, and pig traps would have been more useful.

Or clarify why the Human Rights Protection Party districts are being discriminated against under the scheme.

Most importantly, why financial reports on the use and abuse of these Samoan taxpayer funds are not made public.

That is the transparency and accountability that the nation demands, not propaganda!

However, the Minister tried to highlight her efforts to reduce national debt levels as the basis for her great success in steering the economy.

She claimed that the debt levels from previous administrations gave the FAST government limited fiscal space to borrow money to invest.

Yet, somehow, somewhere, they were able to find $255million tālā of Samoa taxpayer and donor funds for their wheelbarrow projects?

Her math simply doesn't add up.

We have explained to the nation that those "HRPP debts" were productive investments made under highly favourable terms, including the last two concessional loans approved for Samoa in the 2016/2017 financial year for the Faleolo International Airport Upgrade project and the country's fuel storage facilities.

It did not need a miracle from the FAST government to service those debts, as they paid themselves off through the high tourist arrivals and commercial activity that those investments generated.

Indeed, their contribution to the growth of our gross domestic product is immeasurable.

The FAST leadership seems to enjoy flying in and out of our international airport, and cutting ribbons for major projects that were requested, negotiated, approved and funded under the HRPP administration.

The Apia Port project, West Coast Faleolo Airport Road project, Alaoa Dam project, the Cross Island Road project, the Container Scanner, and many more, are all HRPP initiatives that are long-term development investments.

The fact of the matter is that the FAST Party inherited one of the strongest economies in the region that HRPP built over 30 years of political stability, supported by a competent civil service, vibrant private sector and the leaders of our villages and communities.

HRPP rebuilt a Samoan economy that was in ruins, eventually graduating in 2014 from the UN's category of least developed countries and building a solid reputation as a dependable partner in global development.

HRPP policies raised the standard of living of our Samoan people.

Families were better able to purchase affordable vehicles and homes and fund the education of their children.

Its annual budgets had earmarked provisions for infrastructure maintenance, including our hospitals that are now falling into deplorable state of disrepair.

The Minister should stop wasting her time on these propaganda articles and criticizing HRPP's economic policies and strategies.

Her record easily speaks for itself.

She should explain why Samoan’s purchasing power has diminished over the last 3 years.

Explain why Samoa's sky-high cost of living is now one of the highest in the Pacific.

Why Samoa’s crime rate is so high?

How all that methamphetamine (Ice) crossed our borders?

Better yet, she and the other Jacks of all trades in the FAST administration should do something about it.

Less talk, more action.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi

Leader of HRPP