Former Minister for Women, Community, and Social Development Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio'o says all correspondence and official documents related to her time in office were digitised and there should be no reason for her successor to face difficulties accessing the information.

She addressed concerns raised regarding missing files from the office she previously occupied, following her termination. 

In a response to questions from the Samoa Observer, Mulipola dismissed the insinuations.

“When I was appointed as the Minister of Finance in the beginning of this parliamentary term, I walked into an empty office,” Mulipola explained. “There were just chairs, a desk and three pens on the desk. There were no files. But I worked with what I had been given. Everything had been digitised.”

Mulipola also clarified that when she was reassigned to the MWCSD following a Cabinet reshuffle, she took with her all documents that had been part of her time as Minister of Finance. 

She pointed out that the newly appointed Minister of Finance at the time never requested the physical files because all relevant information had already been documented and stored digitally.

“I was an employee of the government in my capacity as the minister. For every public servant, there are protocols and policies in place to guide the work that they do,” she said.

Reflecting on her removal from the MWCSD by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Mulipola shared that the termination was effective immediately. 

She proceeded to inform her ministry staff and began packing up her office. Despite the transition, she emphasised that all documents and correspondences from her tenure had been securely stored in digital format, and expressed confusion over the ongoing concerns about missing files.

“So I informed the ministry and my staff and we started packing out things. But all the documents and correspondences during my time have been stored digitally. So I don’t understand what the fuss is all about,” Mulipola said.

The new minister Laga'aia Ti'aituau Tufuga confirmed that when he took office there were no physical files present. However, he noted that he did not delve into the specifics of the missing files, stating, “I don’t explore those things. Whatever is there, I will work with.”

Laga'aia mentioned that the issue had been raised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who requested him to verify whether the claims of missing files were true. He added that the matter was ultimately left for the Prime Minister and Cabinet to decide on the next steps.

As the chairman of the $1 million grant steering committee, Laga'aia emphasised his strong working relationship with the ministry and his reliance on staff to assist with records regarding the progress of various projects.

In response to the concerns, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry, Loau Donina Va'a, acknowledged the allegations of missing files and stated that any claims should be substantiated with specific details. 

"Any claims of missing files should be substantiated with specific details," Loau said. "While the Minister has responded, it would have been helpful to first confirm which specific files are being referenced. As is standard practice, official records and correspondence are maintained digitally and securely stored. The empty office reflects the transition process, as various items belonged to the former Minister and were not part of an institutional repository."

Loau also addressed the ongoing police investigation into burglary claims involving a stolen laptop and hard drive from the ministry. She confirmed that the investigation is still active, with officers completing interviews and reviewing security footage. 

“The police investigation is ongoing, with officers finalising interviews and reviewing security footage. We can confirm that all sensitive documents remain secure, as they are password-protected and fully backed up. The Ministry is fully cooperating with authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and appropriate action,” Loau said.