OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF WORKS, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Correction Of Samoa Observer Article - "It Was A Pleasure Boat -  Minister Olo" Published On Sunday Samoa Observer Edition 21 May
 2023 

Press Release/22May2023/APIA - The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MWTI), Honorable Olo Fiti Afoa Vaai, wishes to correct the misinformation stated in the abovementioned article.

The Hon. Minister responded to questions from the Samoa Observer last week, questioning the Ministry's involvement in the matter of the American Samoa registered vessel Kite Runner as well as the processes that may be undertaken by the MWTI for any incoming vessel.

To clarify, Hon. Olo responded specifically in relation to the actions of the MWTI only. It did not in any way included other respective agencies such as the Ministry of Customs and Revenue, Ministry of Agriculture (Quarantine), Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Immigration) and the Ministry of Health.

These respective agencies all conducted inspections for Kite Runner at Apia Port upon arrival. Only the MWTI did not conduct an inspection based on the information provided that Kite Runner was a pleasure boat (private vessel) and NOT a commercial vessel. The MWTI does not issue permits or clearances for incoming pleasure boats.

The Samoa Observer published the Hon. Minister’s responses out of context. And it is unfortunate that efforts by the Office of the Minister in the weekend to clarify and correct the misinformation published by the Samoa Observer have fallen on deaf ears.

It is deeply disappointing that the Samoa Observer cannot correctly publish the info provided but prefers to add its own twist. This is ironic for a newspaper that is voicing calls from The Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) for a Cabinet Minister to apologize to their reporter when he said something wrong to her. Who keeps the Samoa Observer accountable when they publish wrong information they claim to have gotten from a Cabinet Minister? After multiple misreported articles published under the guise of “telling the truth”, when will the Samoa Observer be held accountable?

Maybe it is the Samoa Observer that needs to think a minute... 

ENDS

• Editors Note: The article that is referenced by the Minister for Works, Transport, and Infrastructure was based primarily on Minister Olo Fiti Vaai's response to the Samoa Observer. Also incorporated into the same article were comments attributed to the Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa at her press conference on Thursday 10 May 2023, wherein she confirmed to the media that the relevant State agencies did their inspections but she was not happy with the outcome of their inspections and thought they should have acted otherwise. Below is Minister Olo's response to one of the questions from this newspaper:

What is your office's involvement in this matter and did you instruct your staff to get all the paperwork that should have been completed by the owner of the boat beforehand?

"The MWTI’s involvement in this matter was to see whether the normal inspections at port conducted by MWTI on behalf of Samoa for vessels was required for Kite Runner. The information given to the Ministry noting that the vessel was registered in American Samoa as a pleasure boat, meant that the inspections were not required as it was pleasure boat and not a commercial vessel."