Dear Editor,

Congratulations H.R.P.P for another comprehensive victory. 

I just want to say something about the culture of dependency - now I know what it means. 

What will happen tomorrow and the next five years to our people in Samoa? Well apart from the same old corruption and injustices, our relatives will continue to pick up the phone/s and call their children, cousins uncles and aunties’ nephews and nieces overseas for donations to help them get by. 

They were presented with a great opportunity to take control of their destiny but somehow they decided to vote these people back to make decisions for the country and their future. 

I think it’s about time that Samoans overseas should take a hard look at what their relatives are doing back home. 

Is our fervent goodwill to support our relatives in Samoa through remittances encouraging this lack of insight and short-sightedness and relaxing attitude in the population? 

Our relatives should be accountable for their actions or the lack of it, and they should made to feel the consequences of their actions. 

E faimai fo’i le upu a le Tusi “e ai e matua vine moto ae magiagia ai nifo o fanau”. It’s about the consequences of our actions. 

What has been decided by our relatives will have a huge impact on the future of our children and Samoa. 

If they ignored what’s wrong in Samoa by voting for them again, then perhaps they know something that we overseas don’t know. 

Perhaps they don’t need our contributions anymore because they know that they will prosper under the leadership of Stui - wishful thinking perhaps. 

It’s about time we rethink the value of contributing to our relatives who seemed to be unable to make good decisions for their future and the future of Samoa. We’ve seen everything, somehow they see things differently. 

It’s about time for our dear relatives to live and breathe the consequences of their actions, it’s a good way to build wisdom and resilience and fortitude.

Le Mafa P