The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) has become the first in the election race to declare its manifesto, or parts of it. It looks like its campaign has been well thought through and very structured.

It is amazing what four years on the other side of the floor can do. HRPP has launched an aggressive election campaign designed to prompt voters to think. They even have campaign advertisements. The promises are coming out. There is talk about the $500 cost-of-living allowance and the waiver of hospital charges for children. These are the many types of promises that will be made. HRPP has gotten off the block faster than anyone else, but rest assured, others will be revving up their campaigns.

Electioneering has evolved. Get ready for the campaigns to hit TV screens, appear on most social media platforms and in traditional forums. They will all be appealing and enticing. They will be creative, and everyone will try and hook the voters. This is the power a normal voter holds. All parties are now after that tick, which would guarantee them a seat in parliament. Get ready for the election promises.

People must remember the past elections and the promises that were made. People must hold politicians accountable if promises from the last election remain unfulfilled. This is also the time to ask the politicians how they intend to deliver and for people to realise if the promises are indeed deliverable or just lip service to sway votes.

It is funny that no politician ever takes responsibility for not delivering promises made to get into parliament. Wouldn’t it be nice if the politicians started to do just that? Maybe, this time ask the politicians, if they are ready to face the consequences of undelivered promises.

Before the 2021 elections, the FAST Party made promises about improving health, education and infrastructure. Let us take stock, are we better off than we were four years ago? Have health, education, infrastructure, cost of living and quality of life improved?

There should be a law that demands politicians fulfil their promises or face criminal charges. Those promises get votes, and not delivering on them is deception. It is also the same as gaining an advantage through deception, which is a crime in some countries. Section 172 of the Crimes Act does have something similar, but its application to election promises has not been tested yet. Maybe it should be.

Politicians knowingly making promises during election campaigns should be investigated by authorities for undermining voters’ ability to make informed choices. Knowingly making false, unachievable, and illegal campaign promises amounts to a political lie, and breaches ethics and honesty.

It is intended to deliberately deceive voters. Outrageously false campaign promises undermine the credibility, legitimacy, and trust in the country’s electoral system – and also in politics broadly. Increasingly ahead of elections, political leaders and parties make false, unrealistic, and unattainable promises to get the votes. Making false and unrealistic promises is unethical, immoral, and irresponsible.

It shows a shocking disregard for the truth. Leaders and parties show their disrespect for voters by promising them things that are patently undeliverable. Making such promises is not in the best interests of the constituencies they purport to serve, nor is it in the best interests of the country.

False promises also undermine the credibility of information given to voters to base their voting decisions on. False campaign information, particularly in a society such as Samoa with high levels of illiteracy about governance, with citizens who often do not have access to credible information, undermines the credibility of truthful, fact-based and evidence-based information, as unknowing ordinary citizens believe the false information they receive from cynical politicians and political parties.

Voters cannot make informed voting decisions based on false election campaign promises. False campaign promises undermine the sacred power of the vote itself. It also undermines open public debate over policy choices to be decided because campaign promises are based on untruths.

It also shows the hunger for power for its own sake that many political leaders and parties would say anything to be elected to be part of the gravy train of high salaries, perks, and access to patronage. Of course, it is very difficult for ordinary citizens to seek legal recourse to hold politicians to account who make wild promises, beyond not voting for such leaders and parties. However, there has to be a way to hold politicians and parties accountable for making false campaign promises.

Dear politicians, do not make false promises and be ready to be held accountable or give up your posts, because those votes that you garner would be through false promises and lies.