Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean says Fono members will receive sua during the dedication of the new Maota Fono, but they will not get monetary gifts.
“They will receive sua just like other invited guests attending the opening ceremony,” he said.
He confirmed that the Fono Committee in charge of the new Fono Building had proposed giving monetary gifts to the Fono leaders, senators, and representatives to mark the opening of the long-awaited Maota Fono.
It’s understood that at a committee meeting last Friday, the amounts proposed for the monetary gifts were $20,000 for the Fono leaders and $10,000 for senators and representatives. Two individuals who were at the meeting said there was disagreement from the Senate side, who took the position that the amount was too high. The meeting eventually arrived at the amounts of $5,000 for the Speaker and Senate President and $3,000 for senators and representatives.
When KHJ News asked Tuaolo on Monday about the cash gifts, he said the Fono leaders and members will only receive sua and that there won’t be any cash envelopes. Pressed if the amounts agreed to at last week’s meeting will be presented as the monetary portion of the sua, Tuaolo simply said there will be no cash envelopes. “That will not happen,” he said. “E le tupu se mea faapena,” were his exact words.
Meanwhile, an eight-member delegation traveled to Apia Sunday to deliver invitations to the Fono building dedication. The three guests invited from Samoa are the Head of State, Prime Minister, and Speaker of Parliament.
Photos posted on the Samoa Government website showed them meeting with Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt. The group from the Fono includes Speaker Savali Talavou Ale, the co-chairs of the Fono Building Committee—Senator Olo Uluao Letuli and Representative Vailoata Amituanai; Rep. Ape Mark Asifoa; the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau Nathaniel Savali; House Counsel Seiuli Alvin Tuala; senior Senate staffer Blanche Fruean-Tua; and another female staffer. The group traveled to Apia Sunday and returned Monday.
Photo: Government of Samoa
