It’s about transparency and accountability

Dear Editor,

Re: Think of the Jubilee Church 

A letter was published on the Sunday Observer titled “Think of the Jubilee Church” addressing Rev. Vavatau and C.C.C.S. for giving advice on government to control spending. 

I don’t see any wrong with giving such an advice because any reasonable person with an average common sense would agree. Based on government financial reports, budgets etc from the prior years until now, we can say that the government do need to control some spending. 

Because the letter referred the Secretary, especially the E.F.K.S. as a whole to the new Jubilee Church Building and said it was supposed to be $2 million and by saying it end up to get $15 million loan from the people of Samoa, and even question why the Church need to rebuild it in the first place. 

I think it is best for the writer to think first and make sure what you are saying is truthful and factual, as a member of the E.F.K.S. including all others we understand from beginning to end regarding the operation and church projects that includes the Jubilee Building and John Williams Building. 

Look around you; can you even build a major church building with just a lousy $2 million? 

If in every Fono Tele the number of participants increase each year, what would you do if the current church building is not sufficient to cater for that increase in participant? Can you even imagine how many services are conducted in that major church building? 

Do you even know how old the previous Jubilee to date? 

What would you do if you are a reasonable person? 

You talk as if you know the affairs of the church inside out and decide to open up the pie hole thinking that you know so much but only so little. 

Stating that $15 million loan from the people of Samoa, really! 

E.F.K.S. member is also the people of Samoa, based on their financials during the last General Assembly the church have more than enough to settle such a loan in a very short period of time but they decided not to, due to very important reasons, so whose benefiting more from the loan interest?, oh right! the people of Samoa. 

Not long ago, headline on the Samoa Observer, the church received a dividend from its investment with U.T.O.S., it’s just a very small return compared to how much millions invested? 

And a few weeks ago on the media, our very own Samoa Airways is about to borrow from U.T.O.S. to fund its operation, what will you say about that? 

So now the General Secretary said just a little bit of an advice for our Government, like I said any reasonable person would give that advice as well. 

Since you talked about financial matter, the E.F.K.S. is a champion when it comes to Transparency and Accountability, everything is presented at the General Assembly unlike our own government, isn’t that why one of our Courageous M.P., kept on asking the government where about in the financial statement are those US Dollar funds went? 

So who should be giving advice now? 

Manuia le vaiaso. 

 

S. Matautia

Samoa Observer

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