The Samoa Medical Association (S.M.A.) President has cleared the air on reports they opposed the Public Service Commission's allowance and salary package because they wanted a pay rise. 

In an exclusive interview with the Samoa Observer on Thursday night, Taule'ale'ausumai Dr. Titi Lamese said they are only asking the P.S.C. for more time to discuss the packages being offered before it is implemented. 

Taule'ale'ausumai, who is a private doctor and a senior medical practitioner, said the negotiations are still continuing and claimed that some of them were "kept in the dark" about the full details of the proposal from the commission. 

He added that they are now only beginning to "understand" some parts of the changes to be implemented. 

"However, we feel that they are rushing to implement the changes, yet we still have a lot of questions that need to be answered," Taule'ale'ausumai said. "We are not asking for much here and to clear the air, we are not asking them to increase the salaries. 

"We are only asking P.S.C. to grant us more time. One or three months so we can discuss the changes and make sure we are all on board and approve of the changes because, at this stage, we still have so many questions and a few have expressed their support for the changes but there needs to be a unanimous decision on the matter."

Taule'ale'ausumai also explained that from their recent meeting with the Deputy Director General of Health, they are "now only beginning to understand" some of the changes from P.S.C. 

However, he said there are some questions that need to be answered and he is hoping that their meeting with the P.S.C. scheduled for Friday will answer their questions. 

He also further explained that their objections to the changes were towards the "initial proposal" from P.S.C. which indicated a decrease in the salaries for senior doctors within the M.O.H. 

"But we have been informed that they have improved their offer and initiated a responsibility allowance for senior doctors so from the information we have gathered thus far, we see that the changes will benefit our doctors. 

"However, we feel like they are rushing to implement the changes when we have just been informed about this a couple of weeks ago with very few details. The explanation from P.S.C. is that they are trying to complete the merger, but it's been three or four years since the merger was approved. 

"So there's no need to rush the changes we need time to discuss the pros and cons of the changes and come up with a unified decision."

Taule'ale'ausumai also set the record straight that they have no intentions to oppose or go against the changes being proposed by the Government and downplayed rumours that they were going to go on strike if the P.S.C. didn't accept their appeal. 

"The only thing we discussed was for our doctors working in the national hospitals and in the service to work normal hours but we did not discuss going on strike."