Enter the dragon

When the new parliament recon venes shortly, it will mark the arrival of the smallest party in the country, lead by an MP whose reputa tion as a political dragon slayer is hardly exaggerated.

Dismissed by the government as one of the political loony tunes around the place, Samoa Labour Party (SLP) leader and sole MP Toalepaialii Siueva has blasted his way back into national politics and revived a career many wished would come to an end.

His return, after bumping off the speak er of the house by 44 votes to get there, is typical of a man who has frequently taken on government and won.

“I got back in because people want a change, because there is so much corrup tion and abuse of power. People are fed-up with non-accountability in government.

You are a trustee to the people. Not a guy

filling his own pockets for his own use.

Samoans had woken up to it. Too many MPs have become instant millionaires,” says the man who sees himself as an “up and-coming prime minister”.

In 1994, the former cabinet minister launched the SLR Almost immediately police made inquiries over allegations Toalepaialii had stated a military coup similar to Fiji’s in 1987, was the best way to oust the Tofilau government. No charges were laid.

The same year, he was one of two lead ers of a traditional coalition of chiefs charged with treason after organising mass demonstrations and a petition over a goods and services tax, that finance minister Tuilaepa Sailele described to overseas tele vision as “garbage”.

But in a humiliating government back down, the case was thrown out of court with the presiding judge pointedly stating that “my courtroom will not be used as a political forum”.

An aggressive debating style, coupled with some fierce convictions on the rights of the less fortunate, will ensure plenty of tough talking is on the way.

A platform based on ensuring the basic needs of the common man is the basis of Toalepaialii and the Labour philosophy.

“We are about making sure everyone has a good water supply, food, health and safe environment, plus responsible devel opment of natural resources.”

His first five-year term since the early 1980’s should provide plenty of opportuni ty to encourage those ideas. Away from politics, Toalepaialii and his wife run the popular Satupuala beach resort outside of Apia. ■