The Chairman of the Samoa National Provident Fund (S.N.P.F.), Papalii Panoa Tavita said he will not let himself be persuaded by verbal accusations and insults made against him regarding the Fund's recent dividend payout.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Papalii said he has seen accusations being made against him since the S.N.P.F payout as well as verbal insults but he will not let it get to him nor file a complaint.

"They're just words being said to me and I saw some accusations as well being made by people who don't understand the S.N.P.F process so I don't care about them," he said.

"I will also not file a complaint to police about this (insults) because as I said before, they're coming from people who don't understand."

Papalii was queried whether he was collared by some strangers in the S.N.P.F elevator last month as claimed by some people who did not want to be named, and he said 'no'.

"Nothing like that happened since the announcement of the dividend payout and even before. They're just words being thrown at me about this issue but no one has attacked me physically. I can confirm that," he said.

"I would've lodged a complaint to police too about it if it did happen."

Papalii's comments come at the back of an alleged change in the S.N.P.F loan policy as well as the 8.3 per cent dividend payout by S.N.P.F which won't be paid in cash following an uproar from the contributors. 

Papalii, the Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Molioo, and the newly appointed S.N.P.F Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.), Lemalu Selesitina Reti, Papalii explained that cash payouts are not compulsory under the law.

"Nothing in the law says that cash payout is compulsory under the regulations which are made by the steering committee and the Cabinet," he said.

"Cash payouts are regulated on emergencies that need the assistance of the S.N.P.F. for example, during cyclones. The board can consider giving our cash payouts from your contributions and same as the Covid-19 and the 50th Independence Anniversary."

Papalii added that the 8.5 per cent dividend that was declared in the 2022-2023 financial year was changed to a cash payout because the board considered the struggles of the families due to Covid-19.

Mulipola initially clarified in response to a question raised from the media, querying why the dividend is not being paid in cash as in most recent dividends.

"We're used to that mentality where once you get the money, you use it and finish it right away. But we go by the name of our organisation that is 'O le lumanai manuia o Samoa' (The bright future of Samoa)," she said.

"We're trying to get used to saving money for bad days."

The Minister and Board Chair officially announced in the conference that a total of 8.3 per cent totaling to $73,967,335.00 will be allocated for payment to contributors as of 1 July 2023.

This is pursuant to Section 36 of the S.N.P.F. Act for the fiscal year 2022/2023 and this means there will be no cash payments for all SNPF contributors and members as the dividend will go straight into the contributions of all S.N.P.F members.

But prior to the announcement of the dividend, Papalii was the first to confirm to this newspaper that major changes to the Fund's loan policy will be announced during a press conference which was cancelled later on after the Samoa Observer broke the story on the day of the conference.