Straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel. Part II

Dear Editor,

Apart from the burden of systems as already explained in our first discussion, corruption and collusion are the other ones. They are real problems in government, businesses and other organisations. 

The impact of corruptions and collusions is also falling straight on shoulders of our people.

As explained before in the first discussion, our government leadership will never find a better direction or a better destination for Samoa unless they do something first to clean the left behind.

The leaders must take all advices from the public and try all the bests they could by taking every measures available to get down to the bottom of all government reports, in order to clean the left behind of serious crimes of corruption and collusion in our government. 

That is the right process for them to follow. Also, they should always remember this important information - the appropriate growth and fruitfulness of the globalisation method for the development of our economy is relying on their leadership when they follow the right process.

That means, they must go back to the spot that they went wrong and start again from there with the right process in order to resolve the problems of the old left behind (Systems + Crimes of corruption and collusion) so that the globalisation method for the development of our economy can turn out to be successful.

In the same way, they must follow the same process in order to resolve problems of the new left behind (leasing of Customary Lands + taxing Church Ministers) so that the pathway to the future will never be a problem for their leadership.

Remember, the situation about the pathway for the future or direction/destination was never considered as a problem for the leadership. The only problem for the leadership is what the leaders left behind as results of neglection.

But since our current leaders outdone God with the new tax law, therefore, the directions and destinations are now becoming as new problems for leadership.

I considered it as a great concern because that is the warning sign of things we are going to face as we move forward. So it is very important for our country to be aware of that situation. 

I took that situation very seriously and it has given me an extra obligation of bringing into this discussion our own Christian principle that we are using everyday called faith to reconfirm that situation for us.

I have no intention to impress anyone about my explanations about the principles of faith. My only intention is raising awareness because our belief in God or my belief in God or my belief in Christianity has been shattering by the current leadership with the new tax law for taxing Church Ministers’ earnings.

So it’s never enough for me to just explain and explain of what I believe without telling people why I believe what I believe. So if want to change the government leadership in the future due to the concern that I have already raised then telling just what I believe is never enough.

I have to dig deep for facts, evidences and hopeful information to explain why I believe what I believe but the most important part of that situation is communication. If I truly love my country then I have to communicate all information I have in my heart through the media in order to save my country from falling apart in the future. 

Another example of that situation is the issue about same-sex marriage. I believe Mr. Editor, you may recall back in 2011/2012 or 2012/2013, I was involved in the debate on this issue through Samoa Observer when it was brought up as a goal of ‘equality’. Luckily, the encouragement of the same-sex marriage was disappeared without success because of the quick respond from the country.

Now, the same-sex marriage is starting to emerge again according to the concept of ’equality’ promoted by the United Nation.

If the same-sex marriage will be accepted in the near future by the current leadership according to the concept of ‘equality’ and according to the concept of atheism known as ‘no discrimination’ then paganism such as cross-marriages in families and sexual intercourses between human and animals should also be legalized. 

Therefore, according to the two principles of faith, faith goes together with natural processes in order to prove faithfulness and unfaithfulness or righteousness and unrighteousness as explained in detail here below. 

The two different Principles of Faith are based on two different circumstances a person could be surrounded with. The first one is in (Romans 4:1-6) and the second one is in (James 2:14-26). The second principle of faith is drawn out of the first principle.

The summary of the two principles of faith or the complete meaning of the two principles of faith is in (Hebrews 11). So, the person can easily explain the exact meaning or the relevant meaning of faith he/she has according to the circumstances that he/she gets caught in. 

The first principle of faith is “Faith without works” [Just believing in God or just believe that He is, that’s all] CIRCUMSTANCES – (Romans 4:1-6): God is dealing directly with a non-believer.

The non-believer is making his/her own choice about believing and not believing in God. Works is not needed. The thief on the cross is another good example of that situation.

God is the judge for righteousness and the unrighteousness. Abraham was a non-believer until God called upon him. Abraham survived in all his direction and he arrived safely at all his destinations because of his faith. God approved Abraham as a righteous man because of his faith.

This first principle of faith reconfirms to us that believing in God has never been a problem before for our leaders’ leadership. The reason is because they have already accepted God as a ‘Guide Line Setting’ or as a ‘Default Setting’ for their leadership.

They did make mistakes but they did not outdo God or canceled a Law of God.

That’s why it is impossible to challenge in the Court of Justice if whether or not God’s law of ‘Do not commit murder’ is right because that law is always right. We already accepted it according to its moral standard (God) and origin (God). 

The second principle of faith is ‘Faith with works’ [A believer must prove his/her belief in God to others through actions and works] CIRCUMSTANCES – (James 2:14-26):

(a) A believer must prove his/her faith through things that should be provided according to the needs of another person or other people and their reactions to each other. No works means faith is dead.

(b) A believer is dealing with his/her own plan according to the plan he/she has already been thinking of to be achieved. There must be works as evidence otherwise, faith without works is dead. God is the judge for righteousness and the unrighteousness.  

This second principle of faith identifies the situation of plans turning into actions and works. That’s the situation we see happening every day in our government which is great. So it is a long process.

Apart from that, this same principle of faith can also identify problems of left behind in the work process as well as the ways to resolve problems and the ways to clean the inside of the work process. I made up a name for the work process in order to simplify my points.

It is based from issues in our government. The name for the process is [Pass Touch and Pass]. If the work process is always followed then the inside of the government will be free of left behind. If not, the inside will become as a big mess.    

As explained above that through ‘faith’, we accepted God and His truth wholeheartedly to run our government process with. That is, the leaders must follow the right process by delivering of the right leadership and by following of the right work process such as the process of [Pass Touch and Pass].

Therefore the acceptance of the truth becomes a ‘Guide Line Setting’ or a ‘Default Setting’ in the process so that if anything else with a different intention that might have occurred in the process it can be easily identified as unlawful or corruption and collusion. 

Which means, it is not an accident; it has been done intentionally for personal satisfaction or for political satisfaction. The example for that situation is when the right process of [Pass Touch and Pass] is been interfered by wrong intentions such as P.H.P (Pass Hold and Pass) or P.H.H (Pass Hold and Hide).

If the process is running with the interference of P.H.P (Pass Hold and Pass) and P.H.H (Pass Hold and Hide) then it means that everything in our government is not okay at all.   

We understand that the main purpose why the current leadership has used the best available process is because of Transparency and Accountability for the country.

According to that main purpose, the Transparency and Accountability can show us the left behind as well as the directions and destinations of the country’s finances and the country’s economy. The current leaders had already promised that services to the country.

Accordingly, the country was also expecting that services to be available on a regular basis according to the right process as well as their promise.

But sadly, the Audit Reports and O.P.C Reports that provides Transparency and Accountability were on hold for a very long period of time and they are still on hold.

Our country has been really affected by that very sad situation and as a result, Samoa has left with no choice but calling for the government to provide those informations. However, when the country demands information, the leadership creates boundaries to deny the country’s access to that information.

The information about directions and destinations of our finances and our economy are huge subjects. Until now, nothing has been provided about those subjects according to the need of our country for a long, long time.

That is the body of hypocrisy embodied by that kind of leadership. 

If leaders were holding onto Audit Reports and O.P.C Reports for too long then it means, the government was hiring wrong people. They are surrounded by wrong people and therefore the leadership should follow the right process.

Let those people go and leave the chances available for faithful people who really wanted to save our country from falling apart. If reports are stuck because of Auditors, then they are wrong Auditors in the government.

If reports were already passed to the Parliament then what is wrong with just ‘touch’ and ‘pass’.

The country has missed lots and lots of information in one area which is also the most important area. 

On the other side of the same issue, if the leaders were holding onto Audit Reports and O.P.C Reports for too long then it means, they were worried because they were looking at series of serious crimes of corruption and collusion.

Maybe that their holding onto those reports for too long is a cover-up for the sake of their party’s reputation. If that is true, then the leadership must follow the right process of [Pass Touch and Pass].

If that is not true, then it means that the reason why they were holding onto those reports for too long is because some of the leaders were involved in those serious crimes of corruption and collusion that are making the government and our country so miserable. 

If that is the truth that some of the leaders were involved in those serious crimes of corruption and collusion, then the leadership should follow the right process. Let those leaders go by appointing special committees as well as prosecutors and revisit the ‘left behind’ in order to get rid of them. 

Take a closer look at serious crimes of corruption and collusion already identified by Audit Reports and O.P.C Reports. To clean the inside of the government or to resolve the left behind in government, then now is the chance and the right time for the leadership to follow the right process according to the principle of faith.

Justice should be served and the ‘double standard’ should also be corrected with one standard. 

One set of rules and one law for everyone but not one set of rules to send our poor people to the prison and a different set of rules to cover-up corrupt and dangerous people who are destroying our government and our country. 

They are the real people who are destroying everything about the success and progress of our country for many, many years. Speaking of the prison, there are so many people that have been murdered at the prison.

Nothing has been done about it. It is so hard to imagine what those murdered people and relatives went through but the corrupt and dangerous people in government are still enjoying salvation from the leadership.

That was the main reason why Afualo Dr. Wood Salele proposed a corruption tribunal when he was in Parliament but was slammed by the same leadership. According to the leadership, there are enough laws already exists to deal with corruptions. 

To be fair for the current leadership or the leaders of our country in the H.R.P.P party, it is the only party [according to my own judgment based on our development and economy] that was/is still responsible for bringing real successes for Samoa’s development and Samoa’s economy.

The late Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana and the current Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi; both of them are authors of many great developments in Samoa. In addition, there are two significant changes they did that should also be acknowledged specifically.

The two significant changes are: 1) The changing of the calendar by switching Samoa from east to west of the International Date Line in order to boost trade. 2) The switching of driving from the right to the left side of the road in favour of cars from New Zealand and Australia because it is cheaper than getting cars from Hawaii and USA.

So as always, the H.R.P.P deserves thanks and congratulations accordingly. However, despite of all those efforts and important services, not one of any of those efforts and important services solves the problems of corruption and collusion that have been destroying Samoa and its government for many, many years.

We were hoping that the 47 seats would be a blessing but what we have seen so far is just a wannabe. It’s just the opposite of what we were hoping for.

It really seems right now that there is another purpose or secret behind the 47 seats. 

May be the extension of the tower of H.R.P.P up to 47 seats is an amazing revelation.

If that is the truth, therefore the purpose of that extension is to tell everyone especially the H.R.P.P that the real meaning of Transparency and Accountability is standing tall above everything and everyone so that everything and everyone can see and look up very clearly at the 47 seats tower of the H.R.P.P and the reality of their Transparency and Accountability.

Those 47 seats in election is history but the performance we have seen so far from the 47 seats is amazing. However, there is hope.

The only hope we have is the message of Jesus. Because Jesus’ message about leadership is connecting to every parts of life, therefore “straining out a gnat and swallowing the camel’ is also a great encouragement for all leaderships in families, villages, districts, Churches, Schools and other organisations. Follow the right process. 

When we come across face to face with problems and difficulties, don’t left them behind but deal with them straight away. Deal with the inside first and then the outside. A leader must serve, not to be served.

If someone wants to be a leader, be prepared to sacrifice the whole life like Jesus but not just a 30% of life for leadership but the 70% is for greed, adultery, corruption, collusion and confusing of Transparency and Accountability.

Also, if someone wants to be a leader, be content. What has been offered for service is enough. Don’t ask for more money rewards but ask for more problems and difficulties such as Transparency and Accountability to be solved. Let God and the process deal with the reward. 

Remember, money was never involved in Jesus’ leadership in relation to a solution for sufferings.

When Jesus sacrificed His whole life, Jesus did not expect a reward of money from His father as a payback for His life in order to save Israel’s suffering and to solve Israel’s difficulties and problems. His only expectation was about the people of Israel. Israelite must follow solutions He left behind such as love and faith.

Money can’t solve our difficulties and problems because money does not have a mind. But love and faith through our minds and following the process or the laws of God is the only way we can solve our difficulties and problems. 

Also, that same way, is the only way we can save our country from pressures and temptations that are coming from every sides of the globalisation.    

Lastly, the globalisation method for the development of our economy is very important but, there is no point of that method as it was launched on piles of problems and difficulties that have been left behind unresolved for many, many years.

So there is no need to force up efforts from the situation of struggling in order to improve our economy. There is no need for the leadership to take Samoa further up to any levels but relax and clean our insides first.   

 

Nanai Malonuu Lealaiauloto Nofoaiga.

Samoa Observer

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