A search of company records at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.) has revealed Associate Minister Peseta Vaifou Tevaga is the major shareholder of Aldan Civil Engineering Company Ltd.

Peseta told Samoa Observer two weeks ago that he had no role to play in the company, which he claimed is run by his son Lei’ataua Danny Tevaga. 

“I am not involved in the project of this company,” he said, in response to questions from this newspaper on his involvement with the company.

But a company search by Samoa Observer has uncovered that Peseta is the largest shareholder of Aldan Civil Engineering Construction Company Ltd. 

As per the result of the private company search on the M.C.I.L. website, out of the 100 shares in the company, Vaifou Tevaga has 50 share parcels followed by Ruby Tevaga with 20, and Allen Tevaga and Danny Tevaga (with 15 share parcels each).  

Peseta is the Associate Minister of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and is also the Associate Minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, and the Public Service Commission. 

The Cabinet, according to the F.K. (18) 28 issued on 15 August 2018, endorsed the decision by the Tenders Board to award a $3,574,890 (inclusive of taxes) contract to Aldan Civil Engineering Company Limited to build a new airport at Tia’vea.

Despite denying any involvement with the company, Peseta went on to give details of the airport project in his interview with Samoa Observer.

He said the company has received a confirmation letter from the Ti’avea Village Council, which gave approval for the airport project to go ahead. 

“The runway is 1,000 meters long. It’s a small airport similar to the Fagali’i Airport, but a longer runway.

“We anticipate starting the project with setting the boundaries next week Tuesday with the Ti’avea village council and as soon as that is done, we will get to the construction of the runway,” he said.

The contract awarded to Aldan Civil Engineering Company Ltd will only cover the work to build the airport runway, Peseta indicated and does not include the airport terminal.  The building of the runway will take up to four months and should be completed by February next year, he added. 

Attempts to get a comment from Peseta were not successful.