On this special occasion, I congratulate the Samoa Observer Newspaper Group for achieving yet another milestone in its journey. Fourty five years of its relentless pursuit of the truth and unwavering commitment to the ideals and principles of press freedom in Samoa, the Pacific region and around the world, is a milestone deserving of celebration.

Today, I join all the supporters of the Samoa Observer to applaud the work of the Editor-in-Chief, Gatoaitele Savea Sano and Publisher, Muliaga Jean Malifa, members of the Editorial Board and all the staff, from the newsroom, layout artists, printers, sales, accounts and advertising team to the delivery team, for continuing to be that voice in the wilderness, even against all odds and opposition, providing objectivity and the kind of journalism that makes a difference. 

The invaluable support from all the readers, the different governments we have had in Samoa, the business community, Samoa’s development partners and donor countries and all the people of Samoa here and afar should not be forgotten on days like this. Thank you for your patronage. You have all contributed in one way or another to this journey. 

In this day and age, to deliver a newspaper consistently, let alone on a daily basis, is a remarkable achievement, and today speaks volumes about the dedication and commitment required to make this a reality. It is not easy, I can tell you that much, and I know a little bit having been part of the Samoa Observer team for quite some time. So, when I was asked to pen a few words for this special milestone, it provided an opportunity for a time of reflection. 

I stumbled upon a piece I wrote a few years back when I took a quick journey down memory lane. The occasion was the Samoa Observer’s 40^th birthday and I thought part of it is worth resharing, it reads: “Today is a very special day in the life of the Samoa Observer News Group. To tell you the truth, we are mighty grateful to be here. You see, 40 years is a long time during which some pretty testing challenges and countless obstacles we’ve had to overcome along the way could have easily weakened one’s resolve.

The history of the Samoa Observer is littered by those challenges. Some of them were quite frightening, what with death threats, lawsuits, abuse and so much more. But by the grace of God and one man’s relentless pursuit of truth and justice against tremendous odds, we have persevered and we are here. 

The story of the Samoa Observer has been well told. The crux of it is really the journey of one man, Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa, whose vision is the rock-solid foundation upon which this institution remains steadfast and strong. For the uninitiated though, I feel it would be better for me to allow Gatoaitele to tell you briefly, in his own words, how the Samoa Observer came about. 

In an editorial titled “Samoa’s will, is also God’s will” published on 29 August 2003, during the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Samoa Observer, this is what Gatoaitele wrote:  “Twenty-five years ago on 28 August 1978, two restless young men saw their dream come a reality. They saw the first edition of the newspaper they’d been planning for months published. Their paper was called “The Observer.” It was put together in a cookhouse of a family at Vaimoso. 

But that dream would have remained still a dream if it hadn’t been for an English man called Jeff Marfleet. New to the country, Mr Marfleet’s Commercial Printing Co Ltd agreed to publish the weekly on credit for four weeks. After which, the “dreamers” would start paying up what they’d owe, plus present printing costs. Later when repayments were slow - since everything was very slow in 1978 - someone pushed Jeff to take court action. In response, Jeff – or was it his lawyer at the time, Misa Telefoni Retzlaff? – retorted: “How can you take Sano to court? He’s got only one typewriter.”

And so court action was averted, and Jeff eventually got paid in full. But that was how Samoans and one English man that is - did business in Apia in those days….” 

In case you are wondering who the other man is, he is Dr. Ieti Lima. From those humble beginnings in 1978, the Samoa Observer has grown from strength to strength so that today, the paper has become part of the fabric of 21st Century Samoa. Over the years, the newspaper expanded so that in the Pacific, it remains one of only three daily newspapers – excluding Australia and New Zealand. There has also been a substantial investment in growing its online presence.

Believe me, producing a daily newspaper on an island isolated in the middle of the biggest ocean in the world is not the sort of business for the faint-hearted. The challenges are enormous, the cost ridiculous and the price one pays is often more than just money.

The Samoa Observer for many years was the opposition party by default. It wasn’t a label the paper appreciated but in a one-party state where there was no opposition at all, it had no choice. We had to be that voice in the wilderness. Our role as the watchdog of the government made us many enemies.

It was an interesting time, one defined by a love-hate relationship with the then-government administration. While the government of the time always espoused terms such as good governance, transparency and accountability, history stands to testify that their behaviour was anything but. The pages of the Samoa Observer newspaper where leaked government documents, reports and countless documents exposed corruption and wrongdoing would testify of that relationship. 

Fun times they were, never a dull moment. We wouldn’t have it any other way. We believe in the importance of having a free and independent media for the sake of a thriving democracy. It goes without saying that when the media’s objectivity and the ability to ask questions is removed and stunted, it loses its power to make a difference. 

A free press means free people. It is that simple. Samoa is a free country today and the critical role of the Samoa Observer and the media in this journey is often unappreciated and ignored. I know what that feels like but that’s something only a few people who have walked the dreaded lonely path would understand. Real uncompromising journalism is not about fame and popularity. Rather it is about making a difference, playing your part to ensure a well-informed society where people’s opinions, regardless of stature and beliefs, matter. 

Over the years, the Samoa Observer has never failed to give space to those voices in our society that have been marginalised for one reason or another. That has made a huge difference and I am grateful to have been part of this.

Looking at Samoa today, we have a new Government that appears to be still trying to find its feet. It took the previous government administration nearly 40 years to achieve all they did (good and bad). By comparison, the present government is still a baby. She needs an opportunity to grow. 

But the role of the Samoa Observer, and the media for that matter, as a watchdog must not change. They must continue to ask the same questions and hold the government to account, just as they have been doing for the past 45 years. 

Today, the Samoa Observer turns 45 years old. It’s a season in a human's life when someone has grown beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. It’s an exciting time but also a crossroads of sorts. There would be some decisions that must be made, tough ones too especially given the challenges and the dynamics of the media landscape today, to plot the next 45 years. 

But let’s not think about that for today, let us celebrate, God bless!

• The author worked for over two decades with the Samoa Observer both as a journalist and later as its editor before exiting the newspaper at the end of 2020.