Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt said he will not take the investigation into the hit-and-run death of Tu’uau Maletino lightly and said that New Zealand police officers are now in Samoa assisting local authorities.

Speaking during his press conference on Wednesday, Laaulialemalietoa responded to reports circulating online about the New Zealand police's involvement in the case, saying that the New Zealand police do not have jurisdiction in Samoa and are only "advising." 

Laaulialemalietoa said the New Zealand officers are assisting in other areas, including investigations, prosecutions and administration, but said they are acting in an advisory capacity. “They are here to advise the government,” he said. However, recent Samoa Observer reporting shows that the Prime Minister said five New Zealand police officers would travel to Samoa to investigate Tu’uau Maletino’s death.

According to Laaulialemalietoa, Acting Police Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga has already established a new independent team to re-examine the hit-and-run case. “There has already been a new team allocated for the hit-and-run case,” he said.

Laaulialemalietoa said he was surprised by some of the criticism directed at him over the matter and insisted the investigation would continue until answers are found. “I won’t take this case lightly because I was the one dragged into this,” he said.  “Let’s find out.”

TIMS system continues despite business criticism

The Prime Minister also said the continuation of the Government’s Tax Invoice Monitoring System (TIMS) and said the Ministry of Revenue will continue overseeing the programme, which costs $5 million.

TIMS was introduced to strengthen tax compliance and reduce tax evasion by ensuring all business transactions are properly recorded electronically. Laaulialemalietoa urged businesses to comply with the system and encouraged the public to always request receipts.

“Make sure you have a receipt no matter the amount,” he said. The Samoa Observer highlighted concerns from some businesses in 2021 over the cost of implementation and compliance requirements associated with the TIMS rollout.

Additional health funding approved

Cabinet has also approved an additional $2 million for the Ministry of Health after what he said was the $10 million budget allocation for overseas medical treatment was exhausted. However, according to the national budget, the overseas medical scheme was allocated $12 million. Laaulialemalietoa said the Overseas Treatment Scheme (OVT) has expanded significantly, with "Samoan patients now receiving treatment in New Zealand, India, Fiji and China." 

“The $10 million that was in the budget has been used up,” he said, noting that many Samoans have had to travel overseas for medical treatment, stopping short of mentioning himself, who was recently treated overseas.

Samoa and American Samoa discuss cable connections

Laaulialemalietoa said that there are ongoing discussions between Samoa and American Samoa regarding telecommunications cable connections. He said discussions included the Google cable project and broader efforts to expand digital connectivity among Samoa, American Samoa, Hawaii, and the wider Pacific region.

According to the Prime Minister, American Samoa has a cable linked to Fiji and French Polynesia.

“We will work together to create the best way possible to use the opportunities in American Samoa and here,” he said. The Prime Minister said discussions were also held with American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA)representatives this week.

Independence celebrations preparations underway

Preparations are also continuing for Samoa’s $5 million Independence celebrations later this month. Laaulialemalietoa said the cabinet met on Tuesday with the Independence Day committee to discuss upcoming programmes and sporting events. 

A sporting parade involving 20 different sports is planned for Friday, 29 May, followed by a traditional Samoan taalolo and additional celebrations throughout the following week. The Prime Minister acknowledged that fautasi teams from American Samoa would no longer compete, but said local fautasi crews would still compete.

He said that there have been discussions with the Samoa Association of National Olympic Committees (SANOC), which has also prepared documents recognising weightlifters who have recently received medals at the International Weightlifting Federation 2026 World Cup.

Laaulialemalietoa said the cabinet plans to formally acknowledge those athletes during the Independence celebrations on Tuesday, 2nd June.

District development delays linked to missing reports

According to Laaulialemalietoa, some districts have not yet received their third million-tala allocation because the required reports have not been submitted. “We cannot release the money until the reports are received,” he said. He added that newly elected district chairpersons should not be blamed for delays linked to previous administrations. However, the Samoa Observer's recent reporting found that reports had not been submitted on time because staff in the district development offices needed more training and support from the government. Money leftover from previous years had been piled up to create the $1.8 million figure from one million.

The upcoming $2 million district allocation, set to be tabled at the next annual budget parliamentary sitting, will form part of the new national budget. The Prime Minister also said that the Government has a process for district development “special accounts” and said funds are protected and reserved for every constituency.

Teacher shortage in Samoa

Laaulialemalietoa said the government has approached New Zealand, Australia and the United States regarding voluntary teaching assistance programmes, including the Peace Corps. Reports from Radio New Zealand indicate that the NZ Ministry of Education forecasts the shortage of secondary school teachers will be significantly worse than previously forecast, with a shortfall of 710 teachers this year and 510 next year. The shortage is projected to continue until at least 2028. 

He also said there is a new six-month programme at the National University of Samoa (NUS) aimed at training mothers in education and nutrition.