A free internet initiative being promoted by the newly formed Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party has been labeled illegal and unsafe by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
Samoa Observer reports however that the remarks have been rejected by the Chairman of FAST, La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt.
Tuilaepa said the project being led by FAST in partnership with a non-governmental organization, E3 Samoa Trust and the installation work is carried out by local internet provider NetVo Samoa.
The project is to be satellite delivered to schools around the country and satellite dishes have already been installed at some schools.
Tuilaepa claimed on his radio broadcast last week that the project needs to be licensed and approved by the Office of the Regulator.
He also claimed that NetVo owes fees to OTR ‘’in the vicinity of seven figures’’.
“I am happy to see that they are helping out,” said Tuilaepa.
But he said they can’t install any equipment without consulting the Office of the Regulator, so they can come in and assess the work that they are doing.
‘’What if something goes wrong and it will burn down a school?”
Laaulialemalietoa denied the PM’s claims.
He said the initiative was born after he found out that schools at Sasina and Letui had no connectivity for school net and broadband internet.
He said a government initiative for broadband and internet in schools has spent millions of tālā but it is still not working.
“I then looked for a way so our schools could get this service, and then we had a partnership with Netvo Samoa.”
He added that schools in his district now have free internet on this service.
The NGO E3 Trust was set up by Togisala Tony Leota, who is also the owner and manager of o NetVo Samoa.
