Ua atoa nei le lima vaiaso o matou tuufesiligia pea le faigamalo a le National e fai le mea amiotonu ma tali manino mai pe aisea na mafua ai le latou fa’aiuga e faatupe le kamupani tumaoti a le Pacific Economic Development Agency Ltd i le $4.8 miliona mai le Tala o le Tupe 2010 

O loo alo pea le Minisita o Mataupu Tau Tagata Atumotu, le tamaitai o Georgina Te Heu Heu, i le taliina o fesili o loo tuiina ai.  Ua atagia mai i ana tali e le atoatoa sona silafia i lenei tupe.  Ua manino mai foi o le alii Minisita o Tupe, o ia lea o loo taulamua e unai le lagolago mo le PEDA Ltd.

Ua tatau i le Minisita o Tupe ona faamanino mai le mafuaaga na foai ai lenei $4.8 miliona, o tupe a le Atunuu, ise kamupani sa fautuaina e le pule o le Matagaluega o Mataupu Tau Tagata Atumotu, ose kamupani e ao ona faitete iai le Malo ona e le’o se kamupani ua lava le silafia ma le agavaa e faatino ai fuafuaga ua latou talosagaina ai le Malo.

E toatele lava nisi o loo faaalia mai pea le latou le fiafia i le auala na faia ai le fa’aiuga a le Malo e lagolagoina lenei kamupani, ao lenei e tele naua nisi o faalapotopotoga o loo faatinoina galuega tau aoaoga ma galuega atinae mo le siisiitia o le tamaoaiga o tatou tagata Pasefika.

O le mafuaaga lea o le a taumafai ai pea le Leipa ina ia sailiili pea ma tu’i pea le faigamalo i fesili ina ia faamanino atili lenei mataupu e tusa ai ma faavae masani e tatau ona iai mo le faaaogaina o tupe a le Atunuu.

O le popolega maualuga ia te au, nei meaane ua avea foi polokiki fa’aauau a le Malo i le aufaipisinisi, ma tulaga e atili afaina ai le tele o faalapotopotoga a le komiuniti o loo galulue ma tautua mo le manuia tutusa o tagata lautele.  E le gata i lea, ae afai ae iai ni faaletonu e tulai mai, ta te le fia faalogo atu ua tau valea ai le igoa o Samoa. 

E ui e pule lava soo se faigamalo i ana faaiuga e fai, ae tatau lava ona faia nei faaiuga e tusa ai ma ala o tulafono ma le amiotonu.  O le galeuga a le Itu Agai, o le fesiligia ma finau e faamanino le Tala o Tupe, aua o nei tupe o loo faaaoga e le Malo, o tupe faitele a le Atunuu, e le o ni tupe a se Minisita poo se faipule, poo sona aiga. O tupe a le Atunuu.

O loo fa’aauau pea faiga faatosina mo le filifiliga o tofi o le pulega fou mo Aukilani, poo le supercity. 

Mai i le amataga sa taulamua lava le alii o Len Brown i nei polls, lea o loo faaaogaina e le au su’esu’e e pu’e mai ai finagalo a le aupalota i Aukilani poo ai latou te lagolagoina e avea ma pulenuu o Aukilani pe afai le palota. 

Mai lava i le amataga sa sili lava Len Brown i lo le alii o John Banks.  Peitai ane talu mai ona taumafai le vaega a John Banks e fa’aleaga Len Brown, ua amata ai ona pau le aofai o latou o loo lagolagoina Len Brown.  E ui lava i lea, o loo sili lava Len Brown i finagalo a le aupalota, i lo le alii o John Banks.

Ua maitau foi i lenei vaiaso ua iai ni sui fou ua faailoa mai o le a tauva mo le tofi o le pulenuu mo Aukilani.  O loo taumatemate nisi o toeaiina matutua Papalagi ua leva ona tautua i pulega o faigamalo laiti faapea, e vaai lelei sui fou ia ua taufa’aofiofi mai, aua e masalosalo o latou ia ua faatu e vavae ese mai nisi o palota mai ia latou o loo lagolagoina Len Brown.

Ou te talitonu e ui lava i nei feuiaiga faapolokiki, ae e manumalo lava Len Brown pe afai lea e faatino palota a tagata uma.  O lau vaai i tausaga ua te’a e faatamala tele tatou tagata i le faatinoga o palota, ae mulimuliane ua faitio, ae le’i palota.

O loo iai foi nisi o le tatou atunuu o loo lagolago John Banks ma o le faitalia lava lea a le tagata ia e fai ai lana filifiliga.  A’o le fesili ia te au, o lea se manuia a tatou tagata e maua mai ia John Banks? O la’u tali iai e leai se mea aua e le’o se tagata e alofa i tagata Pasefika.  O ai e ave iai le faamuamua a John Banks?  O la’u tali e ave le fa’amuamua i tagata e maua mea ma le aufaipisinisi tetele.

O le aso 17 o Setema e amata lafo atu ai pepa palota i tuatusi o latou ua resitala i le lola a le aupalota.  O le aso To’onai, le aso 9 o Oketopa e faamuta ai le faigapalota lea.  E pule lava oe ma le faitalia poo ai e te palota iai, ao au lava ia ou te lagolagoina Len Brown aua o ia ose tagata e alofa io tatou tagata.

The MP for Mangere Su’a William Sio has secured assurances from the Minister of the Community and Voluntary sector Tariana Turia today that she will be keeping an eye on the Digital Literacy and Connections budget.

“The Minister provided an assurance to me that she will ensure the Computer Clubhouses and Computer in Homes initiative by the Manukau community will be financially supported long term,” Su’a William Sio said.

The Computer Clubhouse provides a creative and safe out-of-school learning environment where young people from underserved communities work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop skills, and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology.

“This is an important community programme and I am committed to ensuring that the Government continues to fund it.

“The Computer Clubhouse is a community initiative, which has grown through the hard-work and dedication of Mike Usmar and his team.  It is well planned, well researched, carried out by qualified individuals, supported by Manukau City Council, businesses, tertiary organisations and the local communities.  The funds going into this initiative is a long-term investment towards the future of our young people and this country.”

Su’a William Sio said he was concerned that budget documents had not provided ongoing funding for the programme, which is why he had chosen to question the Minister.

E toatele aiga o loo faatamala pea i le saunia o pepa malaga mo aiga o loo faimalaga mai i Niu Sila. 

Ua avea le le saunia lelei ua mulimuliane ua afaina ai i latou na saunia pepa malaga poo le “sponsor” o aiga mai Samoa, ma oo ai i le solitulafono o i latou na malaga mai e asiasi ma tafafao i Niu Sila. 

O nisi aiga, talu ai ua le usitaia tulafono tau femalagaaiga ua le mafai ona faaaoogaina a latou fanau laiti Niu Sila.  O nisi aiga ona o le faatamala i le saunia o pepa malaga, ua mulimuliane ua nofo sala e totogi se veaga tupe mai le $10,000 agai i le $40,000 mo pili o falemai mo aiga na sulufai mo togafitiga a fomai.

I lenei tusitusiga ua ou taumafai e momoli atu sa’u fesoasoani ao tapenapena ma fuafua mai ni malaga mai Samoa o a tatou aiga e fia asiasi ma tafafao mai i Niu Sila.

Ou te fautuaina le totogi muamua o inisiua mo le aumalaga.  O nei inisiua e tapa iai i taimi o faalavelave faafuaseia e ono afaina ai i latou o loo malaga mai.

E mafua sou manatu ona ua toatele aiga e aumai o latou aiga i Niu Sila i visa tafafao ae mulimuliane ua moomia le fesoasoani a fomai ma le falemai a Niu Sila ona ose mai faafuaseia, poo ua afaina ise faalavelave tau taavale. 

Ose fa’ata’ita’iga, ose tasi aiga, na malaga mai se tasi o tama ona ose faalavelave i Niu Sila.  Ina ua maea le faalavelave ma ua sauni e toe foi i Samoa, ae oso le ma’i fa’afuaseia o le tama.  Na ave lea i le falemai ma fautuina e fomai e manaomia le faatinoina o se taotoga. 

Ae saili ane e le’o se tagata nofomau i Niu Sila ma e le mafai ona faataunuu galuega a fomai seia vagana ua saini aiga i Niu Sila latou te totogiina le pili a le falemai. 

Ioe loa le aiga i Niu Sila e faatino le taotoga, ma ua i’u manuia le faatafa gasegase a le tama, ma toe foi i Samoa.  Ae taunuu mai le pili a le falemai, e $40,000 le tupe e tatau ona totogi e i latou na sainia pepa a le falemai, ae paga lea ua le mafai ona totogi lenei pili ua taugata tele.

Ana faapea la na totogi se inisiua e puipui ai le malaga poo le “travel insurance” manu e totogi nao le $200 poo le $500 mo le inisiua ona totogi lea o le kamupani inisiua o le pili a le falemai e $40,000.

Ona e leai se ‘travel insurance’, o lona uiga ua leai se fesoasoani e mafai ona tapa iai, e leai foi se fesoasoani mai le Malo o Niu Sila, aua ose tagatanuu ese, ma e tatau i lea tagata ona saili se fesoasoani mai lana lava faigamalo poo lona atunuu moni.

Pau le fesoasoani e mafai ona maua pe afai e talosagaina le falemai, mo le avanoa e togitogi ai le pili a le falemai faavaitaimi, pe afai o le a faamaoni i tu’utu’uga fai. 

Ae afai e le faamaoni i le totogiina o le pili, e toe faaopoopo iai le tului i le pili a le falemai ma atili ai lava ona maualuga le tupe e totogi atu mo lenei pili.

O leisi fa’atamala masani mo aiga na omai e tafafao i Niu Sila, ae taunuu mai faapea atu aiga o i Niu Sila e toe faia seisi talosaga e umi ai sa latou tafaoga.  E aumai pepa malaga faitalia matou ma toe faafou le visa, ae mulimuliane ua galo ona faataunuu, ma le faafouina le visa, ma ua nofo solitulafono ai lea o nei aiga. E toe foi i Samoa ua ova aso sa faatagaina ona tafafao ai i Niu Sila, ma ua faasala ai loa e le mafai ona toe malaga mai i Niu Sila mo leisi 5 tausaga.

O leisi fa’atamala, o le faiga o pepa e malaga mai Samoa i luga o le visa o tagata tafafao i Niu Sila, ao le faamoemoe moni o le sau e fai pepa nofomau i Niu Sila.

Ona fai lea o le talosaga mo le nofomau i Niu Sila, ae le talia aua e le agavaa i ai’aiga o le tulafono ae nofo lava i Niu Sila e fa’aauau le  talosaga nofomau ma ua ovasitaia ai lava.  Ona toe faaopoopo ai lea o leisi solitulafono pe afai ua faigaluega e saili se tupe e ola ai iinei, ae leai se visa e faatagaina ai le faigaluega.

Afai la e maua e leoleo i le ave taavale faasuaava ma e leai se laisene, toe maua ane i le Ofisa o Femalagaaiga o loo ovasitaia, o lona uiga ua ave loa i le falepuipui e faatali ai le toe faafoi faamalosia i Samoa. Ona tulituli loa lea o le tagata na sainia le pepa “sponsor” e totogi le tupe a le Malo ua alu i le toe fa’afoia o le tagata lea i Samoa.

E tupu nei faaletonu ona o le faatamala ma le le sauni lelei o pepa malaga mo aiga e asiasi mai mai Samoa.

Ends.

The Government is talking out both sides of its mouth over $5 million dollars of taxpayer money awarded in this year’s Budget, Labour’s Associate Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio said today.

“Today Finance Minister Bill English told media that officials were working to see whether the Pacific Economic Development Agency Limited (PEDA) ‘can actually deliver on the program’ it proposed to get the funding,” Su’a William Sio said.

“But interestingly yesterday and for some weeks now Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu said PEDA ‘have certain skill sets that we deem to be critical… they have networks, they have business connections, business skills’.

“The Government has already allocated this money to PEDA in the Budget. The deal has been done. So why are officials now looking into whether the little known or tested organisation can come up with the goods?

“The Pacific Island Affairs Minister has said repeatedly that the Government was already convinced about the abilities of PEDA.

“This whole saga smells and could have been avoided if there had been an open and transparent tender process where the plethora of organisations that provide help to Pacific communities could have taken part.

“Mr English has misjudged the level of anger in the Pacific community. Many Pasifika organisations believe PEDA has been given special treatment and on the evidence before them they have reason to be concerned.”

Bill English today confirmed that on the strength of what can only be described as a flimsy 6 page proposal he was happy to hand over nearly $5 million dollars of taxpayer money, Su’a William Sio said today.

“For weeks I have been asking the Government to come clean over the funding given to the Pacific Economic Development Agency Limited (PEDA) in May’s Budget,” Su’a William Sio said.

“Now I know why Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu has been so evasive, uninformed and confused whenever I have asked her questions in Parliament. It’s because Deputy Prime Minister Bill English has been driving the deal through.

“Mr English needs to explain why, when he is demanding line-by-line reviews of Government spending, he is prepared to give PEDA nearly $5 million based on a proposal that would draw suspicion from loan sharks.

“Bill English needs to tell Kiwis why this process was so shoddy and why other organisations did not have an equal opportunity to bid for this funding in an open tender process.

“The Deputy PM also needs to make it clear who he has met with to discuss the PEDA proposal and when.

“PEDA is a virtually unknown organisation in the Pacific community in Auckland. I have real concerns whether it can deliver what it has promised to communities.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heu Heu continued her farcical defence of the Government’s dodgy processed around the awarding of $4.8 million dollars in this year’s Budget, Labour’s Associate Pacific Island Affairs spokesman Su’a William Sio said today.

“The Minister told Parliament today that the Pacific Economic Development Agency (PEDA) has not been awarded funding in the Budget. That is at complete odds with a press release she issued a month ago,” Su’a William Sio said.

“It’s hard to make sense of any of the responses to questions that are being put to Georgina te Heu Heu around the lack of transparency around the PEDA funding.

“We have asked her numerous questions in Parliament – which she continues to fail to answer. We even put the same questions to her in written form – still no answers.

“It is becoming more and more obvious that the Minister has something to hide.

“Our questions are basic – who represented PEDA in its negotiations with the Government? Why does she not know who she has just handed almost $5 million to?
If it wasn’t her than which Minister actually dealt with negotiations with PEDA?”

“These are reasonable questions that a Minister who has a strong grip on their portfolio would be able to answer.”

Held at the  Malaeola Hall, Mangere

Sa’afiafiaga ma le Fa’afetai i le Au Lakapi Taitaofitu a Samoa ua Siamupini i le Lalolagi

Ua ou fia tu i luga ose mauga ma ou pese i lenei po. Ua ou fia pese i lou fiafia. Ua ou fia pese i o’u lagona faagaeetia. Ua ou fia pese i lou agaga faafetai. Aisea?

Ua tele tausaga o tatou mulimuli ma tapuaia taumafaiga a tamaalii ia. Ua tele tausaga o tatou matamata i le TV i le tapuaiga o le au a si o tatou atunuu po’o fea lava i le lalolagi o loo ta’aalo ai.

E fia tausaga o tatou faitio pe a pau le polo, pe misi le pu’e, pe vaai atu o sela mai. E fia tausaga o tatou faitio i le faiaoga pea faaletonu le tapenaina o tama taaalo mo lenei faagatama.

Ao ua a nei? O lenei ua sii Samoa o se tamai atunuu i le vasa Pasefika ma tuu i luga o le fa’atumutumuga o mauga maualuluga o le lakapi ta’ito’afitu o le lalolagi.

Ua siamupini Samoa! Ua ou matua lagona le mitamita tele ma ua ou fia pese ai i le pese o le “We are the Champions”, aua ua siamupini Samoa i le lalolagi.

Ua le auala Ausetalia. Ua le auala foi Aferika ma Niu Sila oni atunuu e lelei le tamaoaiga ma mafai ona latou faatinoina ni tapenaga o a latou au taaalo e sili atu i nai atunuu vaivai, e iai si o tatou atunuu.

O’u te manatua ai lea o le tala ia Feepo. Faimai ua patipati taoto Feepo ina ua maua tala i lona atalii o Leatiogie, ua sao mai Amouta, ua sao mai Amotia, ma toe mulimuliane ua sao foi i le malae nai Moamoa. E iai le aso lenei.

Se ua malietoa, ua malo tau, malo le tauivi, malo le finau. Fa’amalo le fa’aea atunuu. O lea ua outou fa’ati’eti’e Samoa i le faatumutumuga o faamoemoe.

O lea la ua afifio mai lo tatou atunuu ua aofaga potopoto i lenei po. Ua afio le afioga i le Hai Komesina, le afioga ia Asi Tuatagaloa ma lana masiofo. Ua afio le afioga i le Konesula Aoao o Samoa, le afioga i le ma’upu taulagi, le afioga ia Faoolotoi. Ua afifio foi o’u uso a faipule o le Malo Niu Sila. Ua afifio foi sui mamalu o le pulega e faasino ia Manukau. O loo susu foi le paia o le aufaigaluega a le Atua, i susuga i faafeagaiga i fata faitaulaga e fia o loo talaia le tala lelei i itu e fa o Aukilani Aoao. O lea ua afifio aiga , uo ma e ua masani.

Ua afifio le paia i aiga e fia o Samoa. Le paia i Aiga o Tupu, Aiga o Nofo, Aiga o Papa, ma aiga na tafaifa ia Salamasina. Le mamalu ia Tumua ma Pule, Ituau ma Alataua, Aiga I le Tai ma le Va’a o Fonoti.

Vaeatu le tapuaiga mamalu o le Malo Tutoatasi o Samoa i le Ao Mamalu i le Ao o le Malo, le Afioga i le Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, faapea le Palemia ma lana Kapineta.

Ua afifio mai lou atunuu i lenei po, e momoli atu le lagona o le fiafia ma le agaga faafetai ona o taumafaiga a nei tamaalii o Samoa ua tino mai.

Ma o le a tatou pepese iai.

Ua fa’afetai,
Ua fa’afetai,
Ua malie mata e vaai.
Ua tasi lava oe,
Ua tasi lava oe,
I lou nei faamoemoe.

Ou te fia faafetai foi i le afioga ia Aiolupotea ma le afioga ia Vui ma le faalapotopotoga o le NZ Samoa Rugby Sports Club. Fa’afetai i lo outou faamaopopoina mai o Samoa mo lenei avanoa matagofie. Fa’afetai ua faatino i Magele o lenei faamoemoe, ua onomea ma talafeagai aua o Magele o le faitotoa o Niu Sila.

I am grateful that this event is being held here in Mangere.

I want to stand at the top of a mountain and sing tonight. I want to sing about how happy I am. I want to sing of how proud I feel. I want to sing an express how grateful I am. Why is that you may ask?

For many years we have followed and supported these players. For many years we have watched them on TV as they represented us in the different countries throughout the world where they played.

How many years have we complained when they dropped the ball, or missed a tackle or they just seemed tired and unfit? How many years have we criticised their coaches for not preparing these boys well for their games?

And now what has happened? A small island nation called Samoa has been lifted to the top of the mountain in the sport of 7 aside rugby. Samoa is the world champions of the 7 aside rugby. I feel a tremendous amount of pride in my heart and I wish I could sing aloud the song, “We are the Champions” by Queens, as Samoa are the champion of the world.

I remember the story about Fe’epo. He could not sit, walk, or travel, but had so much love and support for his son who was involved in the brutal sport of “club fighting”. Fe’epo requested runners to tell him every detail of each fight.

Each time he heard the news, it is said he clapped his hands in delight while lying down, when his son Leatiogie battled his way from the battlegrounds of Amouta and won. He clapped lying down when he heard his son had won the battles at Amotai and finally winning in the battleground of Moamoa. This is an appropriate story for tonight. We all feel like Fe’epo.

Good job that Australia missed out. South Africa and New Zealand also missed out. These are countries that have the economic means to prepare their teams well for the international stages, unlike small countries like Samoa.

You are brave warriors who have so bravely fought with such courage and boldness. You have lifted your country in the world arena and have inspired us all and have given hope to future generations.

And so tonight your people have come to acknowledge you. We have all come to celebrate. His excellency the High Commissioner of Samoa, le Afioga ia Asi Tuatagaloa and his good lady. His excellency the Consul General, le ma’upu taulagi, le Afioga ia Faoolotoi. My parliamentary colleagues of the New Zealand parliament are present, and so are Manukau City Councillors.

We have the reverend ministers of the various churches that preach the Gospel to the four corners of the Auckland region. Your families, friends and supporters are here tonight. All of Samoa in the Auckland region are here.

I acknowledge here the honorifics of all those present.

Le paia i Aiga e fia o Samoa
Aiga o Tupu, Aiga o Nofo, Aiga o Gafa, Aiga o Papa,
Aiga na Tafaifa ia Salamasina
Le mamalu ia Tumua ma Pule
Ituau ma Alataua,
Aiga I le Tai ma le
Va’a o Fonoti

And we will sing for you our song of gratitude:

Ua fa’afetai, ua fa’afetai,
Ua malie mata e vaai.
Ua tasi lava oe, ua tasi lava oe,
I lou nei faamoemoe.

Well done to you all. You make us all so proud, and this is such a fitting end to the Samoan Language Week.

I acknowledge le Afioga ia Aiolupotea John Roache, President of the NZ Samoa Rugby Sports Club and his Secretary le Afioga ia Vui for organising this event and for bringing us all together tonight.

Thank you for holding this event in Mangere. It is very fitting and appropriate that we are in Mangere the Gateway to New Zealand and the centre of the galaxy.

Ia soifua.