The suspended Lepa M.P. and Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) leader has urged the Government to begin preparations for CHOGM 2024 and start to allocate funding.

While commending the attendance of Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda two weeks ago, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi said it was important for the Government to begin preparations for the summit.

He said that the decision for Samoa to be the next host of CHOGM was decided at the 2018 CHOGM in London, when the United Kingdom hosted the event and he presented the bid.

Tuilaepa recalled the Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama bid to host the CHOGM back in 2018 after Rwanda won to host the 2022 meeting.

“The British Prime Minister Theresa May chaired that meeting," Tuilaepa said.

The former prime minister said they owe it to Samoa's hospitality when they hosted the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Conference back in 2014. 

He said most of the Commonwealth leaders who were in the U.K. for the meeting in 2018 were in Samoa for the SIDS Conference and consequently voted for Samoa to be the hosts. "This meeting will bring in thousands of leaders and people from all around the world so we need to prepare for that," Tuilaepa told the media last week. 

"We need to start talking to hotels and confirm venues and transportations for the people who will be in Samoa for the meeting. 

“We need to make sure there's flights available for everyone coming to Samoa and ensure the availability of hotels in the country."

Tuilaepa said that the Government needed to allocate funds to assist hotels and the country to prepare for the international summit.

"Looking at the recent budget they have prepared and passed, it won't be good enough to prepare the hotels and the businesses for that big event,” he said. 

"They need to expand their vision and start looking at planning ahead, they need to prepare and come up with a budget that will cater for that meeting and our preparations ahead before the meeting takes place." 

The actual date of CHOGM 2024 is yet to be confirmed but is normally a week of side-events in the lead-up to the leaders summit on the last two days.

Following the announcement of Samoa being the CHOGM 2024 host, Prime Minister Fiame assured that the meeting will be an "island experience" for those who attend. 

She told the media during a post press conference in Rwanda over a week ago that the 2024 conference will also be used by Samoa and its Commonwealth partners to revisit the progress, setbacks and achievements since Samoa hosted the 2014 United Nations Small Islands Development State (SIDS) Conference.

Fiame said that although the theme for the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government session is yet to be determined, the meeting will be another “good opportunity to refocus the Commonwealth on Small States” and to review what has been determined in the SIDS Conference.”