OP-ED
By Fuavailili Keniseli Lafaele
Talanei’s recent report confirmed what many already sensed: planners of the new Maota Fono dedication discussed giving cash envelopes to Senators and Representatives. Some deny it. Others admit it. The details shift — the mindset does not.
The fact that such an idea even surfaces, in this moment of fiscal crisis, reveals how far our governing culture has drifted from the values that once anchored Samoa.
This is not fa‘a Samoa. This is the corruption of fa‘a Samoa.
A Culture Inverted
Traditionally, lafo and ceremonial gifts express a chief’s duty to uplift the community — a flow of generosity from those with responsibility toward those in need. It strengthened the community.
Today, within the halls of government, lafo has inverted:
- It flows upward — toward those already in power.
- Toward lawmakers who set their own budgets.
- Toward offices that already command the lion’s share of public resources.
And now, according to committee statements, envelopes may even be “considered” for off-island dignitaries attending the dedication.
Meanwhile, we are told there is “no money” for:
- Nearly $20 million owed to the Retirement Fund,
- Adequate funding for ASCC, which requested around $8 million but received only a fraction,
- Fully supporting LBJ, our only hospital,
- Meeting Medicaid matching obligations,
- Paying arrears to essential services and vendors.
But envelopes for dignitaries and elected and selected leaders are somehow on the table. This is not just about legality. This is about priorities. And priorities reveal values.
The Opportunity Cost Nobody Talks About
Every dollar set aside for ceremonial envelopes is a dollar not spent on:
- A student at ASCC,
- A nurse at LBJ,
- Critical Medicaid matching funds,
- Paying down ASGERF debt,
- Supporting the basic needs of ordinary families.
This is a zero-sum game. When leaders give themselves envelopes or tax-free “office allowances,” the public pays the price.
And while this is unfolding, ASEDA recently approved a bond issue that includes another $5 million to “complete and furnish” the very building being dedicated on November 28.
So we must ask: Will there be a second dedication when the furniture arrives — with more envelopes?
E le o le Fale, a o le Anofale.
Our ancestors taught: It is not the building that matters — it is the quality of what emerges from inside it: wisdom, governance, service.
Right now, our governance is drifting dangerously far from that sacred center.
Samoa Means Sacred Center — So Which Center Are We Serving?
“Samoa” literally means: Sa — sacred Moa — center
We are meant to be a people oriented around a moral core — not ceremonial excess, entitlement, or personal reward.
Leadership Begins with Restraint
If the Fono wishes to restore trust — in culture, in governance, and in itself — the answer is simple:
No envelopes.
Not now.
Not later.
Not for ourselves.
Not for guests.
Not because it violates a statute — but because it violates the sacred meaning of leadership.
Let the envelope return to its rightful purpose: to carry meaning, not money.
