The Member of Parliament for Lepa, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says the investigation into the lease payment for his district was a “slight excuse” used to stall their $1 million project. 

The district of Lepa was put under the microscope for making advance payment for its district office lease to three villages in the constituency more than a year ago.

The $1 million district development project for Lepa was halted but later resumed on the condition that the funding under question would be withheld.  

The Steering Committee for the project ordered the Ministry of Finance to investigate Lepa for alleged breach of conduct.

The finding was referred to the Attorney General for her legal advice. 

Last month, the Attorney General, Sua Hellene Wallwork reviewed the report and recommended the release of the balance of funds owed to Lepa with the condition that no additional funds would be released until the defects in its lease were corrected. 

 She explained a proper description of the land is necessary to determine the appropriate regulating legislation for the lease. 

“I make this recommendation on the basis that there is a real uncertainty if all other district council leases are in compliance with relevant regulating legislation and to ensure that Lepa district council is not unfairly singled out.” 

Meanwhile, Tuilaepa said the opposition party has been making a lot of noise about the issue concerning his district because it was done to suspend the district’s project. 

“Our district was accused of making advance payment of lease to three villages in the district that are entitled to the lease,” said the Opposition Leader. 

“It was done to make it difficult for our district to access the funds and they were looking for a slight excuse to stop districts chaired by HRPP members and that’s why we were extremely careful on our part.” 

Tuilaepa explained when the district signed the Establishment Grant Agreement (EGA) there was no policy in place to guide conditions on lease payments or prohibit advance payment of lease. 

“The most righteous thing is to have the lease payment distributed to the district who are entitled to benefit from it,” he added. 

He continued to point out that associate ministers and ministers have leased their properties and were solely benefiting from it. 

“Nothing is done to them,” he said. 

He also alleged a district office for a cabinet minister in Savaii built a district office on his land, costing more than $1 million. He suggested that this was a biased decision in favour of government representatives. 

Tuilaepa claims the bulk payment of the remainder of $5 million that will roll over before the next election was a bribe. 

“For the FAST party, this conveniently overlaps with the 2026 election campaign period, all the way to polling day.

“The money comes from unused budgetary allocations that have been siphoned off to a so-called Special Purpose Account.

“This is only made possible through direct budget support from Development Partners as the FAST government has not generated any new revenue streams needed to finance their $255,000,000 campaign.”