Ideology and the Constitution of Samoa

Dear Editor,

I would like to share my views in response to your story titled “Govt. firm on tax law.” Without a doubt, we are in the next stage of the new tax law from the H.R.P.P.’s ideology, their absolute regime; the Cabinet Handbook 2011.

It is going to be very interesting to watch upcoming results from the collision between the H.R.P.P.’s ideology and the Constitution of Samoa which E.F.K.S. stands up for.

That was something that I have been talking about for months now on this forum because the Cabinet Handbook 2011 is unconstitutional and it is so dangerous for our country and its leadership role. Right now the absolute regime is at the final step of its current mission to eliminate the last obstacle for H.R.P.P. that is still standing in its way.  

It is a defining moment for the H.R.P.P. especially the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue. They have reached the special moment they have been waiting for, for a very long time in order to defeat the Constitution of Samoa and the work of God and to bring down God and His Sovereignty under the control of the H.R.P.P. 

To me, it is a very powerful moment for Church Ministers and members of E.F.K.S. when they go to jail for following the law of God and the Constitution of Samoa. On the other side, it is an unstable moment for extremists. They have been running their mouths with all forces and powers on earth to threaten Church Ministers and E.F.K.S. but deep inside is different; their hearts fear God greatly. 

They know, they should concede to the law of God and the Supreme law of the land; the Constitution of Samoa.     

Moving forward from here while the outcome of the collision is still unfolding, all the people of Samoa especially the people serving in Government, we should learn a hard lesson from here about false accusations putting on innocent people by the Government because of Members of Parliament’s corruption. 

We should ask ourselves some serious questions about this situation based on the Constitution and Christianity. How could the Government put Church Ministers’ and their families’ lives in danger by threatening Church Ministers with severe sentences because of the crimes of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue? Is it possible to punish innocent people with crimes committed by others? 

Is it okay to punish so many innocent people in Church because of the crimes of only two people? How about psychological effects and other negative impact of those inappropriate activities on families especially the children? Is it okay to blame Church Ministers and E.F.K.S. for the failure of the economy because of the failure of the Prime Minister and the H.R.P.P?     

This situation should be a wake up call for everyone including the E.F.K.S. Church. The Church needs to stay alert every time for protection of the Constitution of Samoa from extremists and religious politics.

We should be very careful in the future when we elect Representatives for our Parliament. We should go for leaders who help build our nation on moral principles. They will honor the Constitution, Christianity and our Samoan custom and tradition. 

We must never elect dangerous leaders like the Prime Minster and the Minister of Revenue because they are extremists. They have shown zero respect for our Constitution, Christianity and our sacred culture. Look at what they did with Church Ministers? The Prime Minister’s response to the E.F.K.S.’s petition confirms the Prime Minister’s extremism and how dangerous of the Prime Minister’s leadership for our country. 

His response implies himself as a sectarian, as an agitator and as an instigator. He employed those very dangerous tactics to mislead Samoa, to cover up his twisting of Scripture towards H.R.P.P.’s ideology and his religious politics and to cover up his withdrawal from the Constitution of Samoa. He was too far off from the Constitution and the Bible. So to guide him back to the right path, he should consider the following questions and answers.

If there is role call Prime Minister, how did that role exist? If there is a governing body call Cabinet, what is the origin of Cabinet? If there is an authority call Parliament then what is the origin of Parliament? If there is role call priesthood, how did priesthood exist? What is its origin? If there is an inheritance for priests call tithes / offerings then what is the origin of inheritance? 

If he knows the answers of those questions then why not arguing straight from the Constitution? If he knows the answers of those questions then how does the new tax law become a matter unrelated to the Constitution and the Bible? Why didn’t he quote God’s law about priesthood and tithes from Scripture together with (Romans 13) that he quoted in his response? 

According to the Bible, the origin of priesthood and tithes is God or the law of God. Without God and his law, there would be no priests and tithes. Paul himself according to the Bible is a priest, a minister and a ruler. So for the Prime Minister to embrace Paul instead of God and for him to quote just (Romans 13) as if Christ and His law do not exist in order to support his ideology is un-Christian and un-Constitutional.  

Two important questions arise from the Prime Minister’s twisting of the Scripture are: Why would God keep His law forever (Matthew 5:17-18) for our lives’ guidance and for His work’s instructions and later give another testimony to Paul, only to contradict Himself, His law and the whole Bible? Does God make mistakes?      

History tells us, the Constitution of Samoa is the main reason of any Prime Minister’s existence as well as the existence of other government authorities listed in the Constitution. In other words, the Constitution is the entrance and exit of all government authorities in the Constitution.

Without the Constitution of Samoa, there would be no general election, no Members of Parliament, no Prime Minister, no Cabinet, no Parliament, no Court of Justice, no Attorney General, no government and no laws but just village councils, Head of State and Church.

So if the main reason of the Prime Minister’s existence is because of the Constitution then where is the Constitution? Why has the Prime Minister wasted all of his precious time about nonsense instead of the Constitution? That is, instead of him talking about the Constitution, peace and God’s law, he promoted other denominations, his assumptions and troubles in his response. Also, the quotation of just (Romans 13) without bringing up of God’s law about priesthood and tithes in his response is very suspicious. He was playing religious politics in order to promote a one specific denomination. 

In my view, it was an intentional attempt to enshrine his ideology and to validate their mistake but sadly for him and others, it is coming to an end and he can’t do it any more because E.F.K.S stops it. Their ideology is incompatible with the Constitution and the law of God.

You noticed and I noticed, they don’t talk about protection and upholding of the Constitution. They don’t talk about this section, this article, this principle, this provision, this process and this clause of the Constitution. They only talk about nonsense such as violence, harassment, threats, attacks and defamation.

When you hear about what they have said in Parliament and on the Media, they talk about the tearing apart of the Constitution, the tearing of the Church apart and their unafraid to prosecute Church Ministers.

Even the government’s allies and supporters, they are following the same model. They don’t talk about this section, this article, this principle, this provision, this process and this clause of the Constitution. They only talk about violence, harassment, threats, attacks and defamation. They have attacked freedom of expression and freedom of religion. 

That is the only strategy works well with the Prime Minister however, it is inappropriate. As a result he became so childish, too personal, unprofessional and so judgmental about general businesses of the E.F.K.S. that he should never involve with. Maybe the Prime Minister’s and the Minister of Revenue’s next plan after this tax law is creating another new law to bring E.F.K.S.’s financial accounts under the control of the Ministry of Finance, the Chief Auditor and the O.P.C committee. 

As fact of the matter, he questioned God’s authority E.F.K.S. operates on with Church members but he already knew E.F.K.S. is against the new tax law because it is wrong according to the Bible and the Constitution.

Not only that, he questioned the Au Toeaina’s righteousness about the 98% “I’uga Fono” and he assumed some of his attacking arguments. Toe lava o le feosofi i luga ma lalo o faifeau ma le tamomo’e o faifeau i faleuila e le’i suesueina maia e le Palemia ma le Malo (tulou lava le gagana). The 98% figure of the I’uga Fono is indicative; it’s a fact. 

Se’i vaai la iai i le matua’i tele o le faaletonu ua oo iai le fia pule ma puleaga le faavaea a le tatou Malo. Afai ua sao i isi Ekalesia lana fia pule ma le fia Atua e leai se mea o iai, a’o le E.F.K.S. e leai. E sa i totonu o le E.F.K.S. puleaga faapolokiki le taupulea ma le le mafaufau e le tusa ai ma le Faavae o Samoa, le Aganuu a Samoa ma le Faa-Kerisiano o lo o faavae ai Samoa ma le E.F.K.S.    

For his information, I am aware; the decision by the E.F.K.S. was not based on “Pule a Ali’i ma Faipule” or traditions of man or the H.R.P.P.’s ideology. The decision by the E.F.K.S. was based on the law and commandments of God, the work of Christ and the Constitution of Samoa.

Therefore, if any “Pule a Ali’i ma Faipule” chooses the H.R.P.P.’s ideology over God and decides to change any E.F.K.S. parishes to any other denomination because of the Prime Minister’s misleading advice then that is 100 % fine.

It seems to me according to the Prime Minister’s dangerous arguments, maybe the Prime Minister was echoing a decision by the “Pule a Alii ma Faipule” of Lepa and Lotofaga. So maybe the “Pule a Alii ma Faipule” of Lepa and Lotofaga have already gone with the Prime Minister’s and the H.R.P.P.’s unchristian and unconstitutional tax law. But that’s fine if that is the purpose of their decision. It’s their freedom to change religion according to what they want to believe.   

As said before, the Prime Minister’s extreme strategy is working well with him. But he should remember, his strategy could come back and haunt him and his families. A vevesi nu’u ma aiga ona ua malepe le “Pule a Alii ma Faipule” ona toe manatua lea o le mea na ia faia. E fa’avavau lava o tagi mai i le eleele. 

Therefore, E.F.K.S. cannot change the law and commandments of God about priesthood and tithes because of traditions of man and also, E.F.K.S. will always honor the Constitution of Samoa. God is the Creator, God is Truth, God is Love and God is Eternal. O le Atua o le Vavau e oo i le fa’avavu. O le Olefa ma le Omeka. O tofiga mai le Vavau na tofia ai i taimi o le vavau le au Sa Levi e avea ma faifeau a le Atua. 

O le vavau o le taimi a le Atua e le’o se taimi a Samoa ma le puleaga a Alii ma Faipule. E le fou le tulafono ma tofiga a le Vavau i le Aufaigaluega a le Atua ae fou le poto moto ma aganuu faaletagata ma le faalelalolagi o lo o saunoa mai iai le Susuga i le Alii Palemia. E leai se isi mea “moni” na’o le Atua. E leai fo’i ma se isi poto ma se isi aganuu fa’alelalolagi e sili atu i le Atua. 

Ua saunoa fo’i le Susuga i le Alii Palemia i puleaga i vaitaimi o Hitila ma Siāmani ma Niu Sila e pei ona taua i lalo, ae matua’i sese fo’i i Sini, e leai sona uiga, e le feso’ota’i ma le “Faavae o Samoa” ma le latou mataupu le faavaea Tau i Lafoga a Faifeau. Fea na aumai ai, AG ma lawyers e 50?   

 “Silasila i le pepa fa’apipi’i o le Savali o lo’o fa’apipi’i atu ai Poloa’iga a le Ali’i Kovana o Sulusi o Siāmani i le 8/3/1906, ma le 1/7/1911 mo le totogi o lafoga a Faife’au.  Ma poloa’iga i le masina o Iulai 1924 ma le aso 20 Setema 1924 i le taimi o pulega a Niu Sila i le totogiina o lafoga a Faife’au i le Savali (Pepa Fa’apipi’i III).” 

Again, this is what it says in (Article 2) of the Constitution. “Any existing law and any law passed after the date of coming into force of this Constitution which is inconsistent with this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.” 

First thing to remember, there was no Constitution of Samoa during colonialism until 1946 (Article 113). But Samoa was still colonized from 1946 until enactment of Samoa’s own Constitution in 1960 in preparation for Samoa’s independence in 1962. So there was no self-government of Samoa during colonialism until 1960. 

Meaning, Samoa did not have its own freedom and conscience. Samoans were slaves and they were forced to obey all laws of Germany and New Zealand without any exceptions. That’s why we fought for freedom and then once Samoa became independent its Constitution was the outset and the foundation of its own self-government and all laws.  

Second thing to remember, the liberation of Samoa from invasion was the effort by Christianity and Church alone. There was no other potent force behind that victory but God alone. Also, there was no other purpose motivated Samoa’s battle for freedom but God alone. Freedom works best in God’s leadership because there was no love compared to the love of God. 

Another key point to remember, Samoa adopted just democracy and the administrative type of government, NOT COLONIALISM, to manage all affairs of Samoa formerly handled by village councils and districts. Therefore the Prime Minister’s colonization evidences are unreliable. 

Furthermore, for the sake of fair and balance, E.F.K.S. never questions the Prime Minister’s righteousness about O.P.C. reports and financial reports still hidden even though E.F.K.S. deserves the truth about those reports. E.F.K.S. never questions the Minister of Revenue’s misbehavior of not considering the teachings of the Bible when making the decision for the new tax law to tax Church Ministers.  

E.F.K.S. never questions the covering up of misbehaviors and corruption. E.F.K.S. never questions the illegal and the unsuccessful attempt by the Prime Minister to abolish the cover and the preamble of the Constitution which affects God’s Sovereignty and Christianity. E.F.K.S. never questions the situation why the Christian country of Samoa did not cast a vote for recognition of Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel.       

Why? I believe that the reason was because E.F.K.S. placed the salvation work of Christ as first priority and I believe, E.F.K.S. will always keep that priority. Accordingly, E.F.K.S. presented its argument on that basis only knowingly that the Government understands that both parties are sharing same sacred rights and one responsibility for the protection of the Constitution of Samoa. 

It is not a sole responsibility of the E.F.K.S. to advice all authorities in Government on regular basis about what to be done to the Constitution. They should know what to do to the Constitution according to the Constitution. They exist because of the Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa. 

So if they are smart enough and if they do really care about God’s righteousness, the integrity of the Parliament, the transparency and accountability and the future of Samoa, then they should act as real leaders.

Respect the Constitution by following their responsibilities as declared in the Constitution and the Standing Orders for Parliament. Discover the problem, investigates the problem and hold Members of Parliament accountable. 

If they were doing the right thing in the first place of following the Constitution according to the intention of the Constitution and if justice has been served according to the Constitution, then surely, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue and maybe other MPs as well would have been already in jail right now and that should be the end of the problem.  

To tell the truth, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue, they are not suitable any longer as membership or as Members of Parliament. They ought to be in jail right now for corruption, for violation of the Constitution, for the accusing of Church Ministers of the E.F.K.S intentionally with crimes they committed and for defaming of E.F.K.S. 

If they are smart enough and if they do really care about God’s righteousness, the integrity of the Parliament, the transparency and accountability and the future of Samoa, then both of them should do the right thing voluntarily. Own up their misbehavior, step down from their positions and resign from the Parliament of Samoa while they still have the golden opportunity to save them from imprisonment. 

Moreover, this is another challenge for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue from a Constitutional standpoint. If they have been able to show zero respect for the Constitution and Church Ministers according to their corruption, their rights and freedom of expression then that means, I am also able to do the same thing back to them but not according to their corruption but according to God’s righteousness, my rights and freedom of expression.

They should know that the Police Department is not a Police Department of Tuilaepa or Tialavea and their families. They should know, they can’t abuse government authorities and they can’t use the Police force for their political and personal purposes. Same thing with the Supreme Court. We ought to have equal legal protection from the Police Department and the Supreme Court. 

That being said, for their information, the Supreme Court is not supposed to be political but independent. The Police Department must also follow the right process properly. Read and study the Constitution of Samoa, take proper consultations with professional and legal advisors in both government and elsewhere if necessary, present Constitutional evidences of any crimes committed by E.F.K.S and don’t breach Christianity and Samoan custom and tradition, don’t invade properties, don’t breach people’s rights, freedom of expression and freedom of religion. 

That is, the Government cannot take personal assets of Church Ministers by force or illegally. Church members donate for Church and Church Ministers from own free-will according to the law of God. That is human rights, freedom of religion and Samoa is founded on God. Church members should ask government officials when they turn up to comply with the Constitution or else leave the properties immediately and peacefully.    

That means, the authorities such as the Police Department, the Ministry of Revenue, the Court of Justice, the Attorney General, Prosecutors, the Cabinet and the Parliament of Samoa, they can’t prosecute Church Ministers and Church members of E.F.K.S. without carrying out proper investigations first starting from Parliament and then Cabinet in order to confirm any crimes committed by Church Ministers and Church Members of E.F.K.S. 

Honor the Constitution and follow all Constitutional processes. Begin by checking the Constitutionality and legality of the “Cabinet Handbook 2011” and the “new tax law” that aimed to tax Church Ministers.

Exercise all Constitutional powers in the capacity of different positions such as Judiciary, Prosecutors, Attorney General, Cabinet and Parliament to sort out this BIG MESS by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue.  

Ma lo’u faaaloalo tele lava,

 

Nanai Malonuu Lealaiauloto Nofoaiga

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