The Minister of Health, Va’aaoao Salumalo Alofipo, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has no authority over vehicles used by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Speaking to overseas media, Va’aaoao said vehicles allocated to the health sector fall under the jurisdiction of his ministry, not the Ministry of Finance.

Va’aaoao also addressed a letter from the Ministry of Finance Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maeva Betham Vaai, which reportedly instructed the Ministry of Health to return vehicles used by him and Director General of Health June Scanlan Lui.

“There is no say from one CEO of a ministry over another ministry,” said Va’aaoao. “There is also no say from one minister over another minister, because the only person who has a say in all government matters is the Prime Minister, followed by ministers, associate ministers and then heads of departments.”

He added: “But now this CEO of Finance is telling a minister of health to hand in the vehicle."

According to the Ministry of Finance official website, it is responsible for the financial statements of the government and for ensuring the effective management of the assets, resources and liabilities of the state’s balance sheet, as well as publishing economic and fiscal forecasts.

Vaaaoao said he was not affected by the letter "because it is up to us how we use our vehicles.” The minister questioned how details of the letter became public, suggesting it had been leaked by an employee within the ministry.

“I do not know where the Samoa Observer found this information; they found their information second-hand,” he said. “The letter was not supposed to go to anyone else, only to the director general.”

Va’aaoao claimed the letter was leaked internally after it had been opened and passed to members of the opposition Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) and to the Samoa Observer.

“The letter stated that the minister's and the director general's vehicles need to be returned to the CEO of finance because the vehicles are under a project.” He further alleged that photographs of ministry vehicles were taken during a meeting of 18 health sector departments and shared externally by an employee.

“This means that within the Ministry of Health, there are many employees with the voice of Jacob but the hands of Esau,” he said, referring to the Biblical story of Jacob and Esau.  The minister said an investigation would be launched into the alleged leak.

He also claimed that the “HRPP and the Samoa Observer are working together because they are against the government.”