Dear Editor,

 I found your interview with Joseph Parker’s mother in yesterday’s paper quite interesting. I just want to point some facts out to Mrs. Parker about her being hurt hence her attempt to explain her reasons for hurting, 

1. You are correct your son didn’t ask the government to donate but I can’t see why you should be hurt. It’s not the people of Samoa it’s the prime minister and his government that hurt you. 

Look people have the right to complain because its taxpayers money and government went ahead and donated it yet there were other sons of Samoa they did not donate to. 

That’s why people were angry. The people like your son very much, in fact they love him. Who wouldn’t love him when he is a world champion? 

But the way the govt. treated your son was very unfair compared to the treatment given to others.

2. Yes your son is not a rugby player nor a weight lifter but a boxer. Of course, he is a boxer, and a boxer is no different from any sport. There was also another son of Samoa, David Tua who was also a boxer, and that’s why people complain. Keep in your mind that Samoa is very small and we need to treat all our athletes the same way.

3. You are also correct when you mentioned that Bible that gives you patience. Thank you that you follow that.

Le me remind you though that the same Bible also talks about justice and doing the right thing. People have a right to talk about injustice.

I am also a mother and I believe will have the same feelings as you have for your son. But I assure you, that this is Samoa and we don’t have a lot of money. This is why taxpayers’ money should be used in a righteous way – after a transparent and accountable process by the government. That was not the case on both occasions where the government gave money to Parker.              

Having said all that, I want to congratulate Parker and you as a mother for raising such a fine young man.

F.I.T

Vaimoso