In 1982, we had four changes of Government in one year!

For three consecutive years after 1979, Samoa faced its worst economic disaster through mismanagement and abuses of power.

To the extent that our major donor partner New Zealand refused assistance to Samoa with Prime Minister Muldoon telling our leaders “We do not cover spending on cigarettes in our assistance programme.”

Shelves in many shops were empty and the only affordable frozen goods available at the time were imported chicken backbones that families used for soup at lunch and dinner.

Shortages of cigarettes sent chain smokers crazy.

Months earlier in 1981, a strike by civil servants, led by the Public Service Association, crippled all essential services.

Civil servants were pleading for a small salary increase to meet the unbearable cost of living.

Cabinet refused and stubbornly resolved to force the striking civil servants to “crawl on their knees and stomachs and beg forgiveness” for daring to ask for relief from this hardship.

Eventually, the Courts intervened and ordered the government to reinstate 90% of the civil servants who were sacked for joining the strike.

The reality was that the Government of Samoa was insolvent or, put simply, bankrupt.

This was the stark reality of our Samoa when HRPP became the Government in late 1982 under the leadership of Honourable Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana, who then appointed the Lepā Member of Parliament as his Finance Minister.

A wide-ranging programme of economic, social, and political reforms, including universal suffrage, was passed by Parliament followed by six weeks of round table meetings in Geneva with Heads of all donor institutions, and Heads of Governments in Wellington and Canberra.

Treasury and Foreign Affairs officials in our delegations at these consultations included the former Financial Secretary Afoa Kolone Vaai, Aiono Mose Su’a who became the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and Leasi Tommy Scanlan who became the Governor of the Central Bank of Samoa.

These dedicated civil servants, who embarked on that heroic mission to save Samoa from being a failed State, have all retired from public office and are still alive and well today.

Our credibility was quickly restored, and our economy grew rapidly with new businesses established in many sectors including banking services, telecommunications, transportation, and renewable energy.

Social Services also improved in tandem with economic development.

In 2014, Samoa graduated from being a least-developed country to a Middle-Income country under the UN classification system.

That was the same year that our small nation proudly hosted the Third United Nations International Conference for Small Island Developing States.

Feats are only made possible with the full trust and help of our development partners.

Today, we are witnessing a rapid return to pre-1982 economic conditions fueled by financial cash flow problems, which are the result of cheap political gimmicks implemented without proper accountability and transparency.

In the absence of leadership and respect for the rule of law, history is now repeating itself.

We just pray that Prime Minister Muldoon’s infamous words are not repeated today in capitals around the world.

Never get tired of teaching our children about our history.

It is the only way to avoid the mistakes of the past and to keep our promise of the bright future they deserve.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi

Leader of HRPP