Associate Minister explains

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 29 July 2018, 12:00AM

The Associate Minister of Public Enterprises, Tuifa’asisina Misa Leleisiuao, has responded to allegations raised as a result of this photo taken by a member of the public.

The photo was taken at the three corners intersection at Malifa last Wednesday and sent to the Samoa Observer. It shows boys with lawn mowers at the back of truck.

It has also been posted on social media where the Associate Minister has been accused of abusing Government property.

Tuifa’asisina rejected the allegations.

“First of all we do not own a lawn mowing business, as a matter of fact we don’t have one,” he said. 

“On that day I was just giving them a ride from my home here at Alafua and dropping them off at Fagali’i. The reason I picked them up was because my son was not available at that time so he called me if I could take them to Fagali’i."

The boys at the back of the car are from Samatau, his daughter-in-law’s village, he said. 

“They usually come to mow our lawn and my son is the one who picks them and he takes them back home." 

“So on this day, my wife and I came to have lunch at home and then my son called and asked if I can give them a lift to Fagalii because he was having a meeting at the time.”

The Associate Minister added that he would have given a lift to anyone standing on the side of the road, if they had stopped him. 

“So that is it, I just gave them a lift to Fagali’i and I will do the same to anybody else who is standing on the road and they stopped me for a lift somewhere I would give them a lift. 

“It’s exactly the same scenario and that’s the truth.”

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 29 July 2018, 12:00AM

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