Tautua Samoa Party leader, Afualo Luagalau Dr. Salele, has dismissed comments by the Prime Minister who described the party’s manifesto as a “stale bomb.”

The comments by Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi were made during his weekly program on TV1 and followed the launching of the Tautua Samoa Party's election plan last week. 

Some of the party’s policies under its manifesto include scraping the law to tax the Head of State and church ministers, instituting a commission of inquiry into the 2019 measles outbreak that claimed 83 lives, and restricting the Prime Minister’s tenure in office to two terms.

When asked for a response, Afualo said he is "unbothered" by Tuilaepa's claims as he is now used to his "political tactics."

"Those are his political tactics, but we will not be swayed. We stay on the course and move on because this manifesto will benefit the whole country," Afualo told the Samoa Observer.

"It's him in his twilight, he is getting old. I am used to his language and the way he communicates, but I don't want to comment further on that."

Afualo then challenged the Prime Minister and questioned the ability of the ruling Human Rights Protection Party [H.R.P.P.] to deliver such policies.

"If that is what he said then that tells us that there is truth and blessing in what we are trying to say because the truth hurts. 

"You tell him that the truth hurts and it seems like he is hurting if that is what he said.

"If they [H.R.P.P.] cannot deliver this [Tautua Samoa Party’s manifesto] he might as well shut his mouth. 

"I am not bothered at all. I go by what The Rock says, bring it on. Tell him Afualo says bring it on."

When asked to respond to claims his party’s manifesto is similar to that of the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi [F.A.S.T.], Afualo said: "No, this is us, we came up with this manifesto. We are older than F.A.S.T. we are matured [more] than F.A.S.T. and they copied most from our manifesto.”

Afualo continued: "They [F.A.S.T.] don't have an education fund, they don't have a plan for an anti-corruption tribunal. Most of the stuff they came up with is just a repetition of what we came up with. But F.A.S.T. is Human Rights Protection Party II. Just tell them to bring it on."