Tofilau Eti Alesa na- gone but hard to forget

Brieps

By Michael Field

POLITICS ruled the last rites of Tofilau Eti Alesana, just as it dominated his life.

Prime Minister of Samoa from 1982 until November last year, he was the coun try’s longest serving premier and one of the senior leaders of the South Pacific Forum.

The bewildering range of ailments finally caught up with him on March 20 when he died, aged 74. As such he became the first of Samoa’s non-princely or tama-a-aiga prime ministers to die.

His home village had dug his grave last year, such was his illness, but when he finally died it seemed to surprise the coun try. It was left to American Samoa Governor Tauese Sunia, a nephew to Tofilau, to announce the death, adding that the family wants to “make the funeral as low key as possible.”

Tofilau, he said, had said he did not want to spend a night in the morgue. But they took him to the Pale Fono or Legislative Assembly at Mulinu’u, putting him in an open casket on the floor of par liament. Mulinu’u was traditionally the burial ground of the princes but just as Tofilau changed things in Samoa, so his death changed the rules.

It was clear it was an election year in New Zealand when its large delegation came to lay wreathes; Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, Foreign Minisster Don McKinnon, Opposition Leader Helen Clark and a slew of politicians from both sides of the New Zealand House. Australia was represented by Foreign Miinister Alexander Downer and, thanks to a pass

ing

air force Orion, Cook Islands Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry showed up.

For the elder stateman of the Forum, it was a pretty mediocre turnout. After the laying in state his body was taken up to a so-called “National Prayer House” on the slopes of Mount Vaea famous for its peak where Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson is entombed.

Tofilau, who became a fundamentalist Christian, two years ago had the church built for $1.5 million without tendering or

parliamentary authorisation. Opposition

leader Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi

attacked it prompting Tofilau to declare in parliament that the opposition leader was a homosexual. “I know he is trying to make my heart die,” Tofilau said.

The service was attended by the last Samoan leader alive who helped negotiate the independence of 1962, Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili 11. Prime Minister Tuileapa Sailele told the service “even a week” of speeches would not sum up Tofilau’s achievements.

Tofilau’s political philosophy, he said, was that what was good for the people in the capital was good for everybody, even those in the most distant part. This had meant people in the outlying areas got electricity, water, telephones and shipping.

He maintained good financial manage ment. “Tofilau believed in the concept of small but beautiful, poor but respectable.”

Mrs Shipley said Tofilau was a friend and a “man of great mana whose affection for New Zealand was unquestioned throughout his long political life... New Zealand prime ministers...always knew where Tofilau was coming from when he walked in our door. The needs of Samoa were always in his heart and on his mind.

He was from Samoa, and always for Samoa. As a consummate politician he knew how to engage us politically ■ on meeting the needs of his people, particular ly in education... Tofilau, I have to tell you, was not an easy man to say no to.”

Bom in American Samoa in 1924 and named Aualamalefalelima Alesana, he was the son of missionaries who had served the London Missionary Society in New Guinea. He wrote he was brought up in a “religious environment”. When he was six, his father was transferred to the Malua Theological College, headquarters of what is now the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa.

In James Sutter’s book “The Samoans; A Global Family” he wrote that he needed the counsel of a wife. He looked for one, found Pitolua To’omata. They had 14 chil dren. In 1957 as Luamanuvae Eti he entered the Legislative Council and a year later became Health Minister. Between 1958 and 1960 he was a member of the constitutional committee and signed the convention to set up the Independent State

of Western Samoa. In 1966 police arrested “one Va’aelua Eti “ on two charges of theft.

He was fined two pounds and two shillings in what had been a minor affair, more to do with village politics over straying cattle than any personal gain. Years later he was to deny that it was him but in a mark of the bitterness that afflicts Samoa’s politics his police record disappeared from police files and re-emerged in the pages of the Samoa Observer and tabled in parliament by Tuiatua. “I have never stolen anything in my life because I am a son of a church min ister,” Tofilau told Parliament.

In 1979 when he joined Va’ai Kolone to form HRPP. Its sole aim aim was to over throw Prime Minister Tupuola Efi, now Tuiatua. In 1982 HRPP won power with Va’ai as prime minister. Claims of bribery

and corruption against Va’ai were proved

in court and Tupuola returned as leader until December 1982 when HRPP man aged to defeat the budget and Tofilau became prime minister.

“My political philosophy is based on democratic principles,” he wrote. “It is my wish that this philosophy will work hand in-hand harmoniously with the customs and traditions of the Samoan people. Our dream is to live in liberty, based on Christian principles without prejudice, oppression or anything that could curb the progress which is envisioned by free peo ple everywhere.”

As leader he launched a period “nation al sacrifice” to restructure the economy, followed by infrastructure development.

Two cyclones and a crippling blight of the major taro crop frustrated his efforts, events that nearly crippled the Samoan economy. He imposed a goods and services tax that led to protest marches. His govern ment was frequently accused of corruption with government contracts often going to HRPP ministers and supporters. “I regard Western Samoa as the most stable nation in the Pacific region,” he said.

In his later years Tofilau became a fun damentalist and once told a prayer meeting that he had been to heaven. He said once there he saw green mountains, a blue sea and children singing.

“And then I said ‘ Please God, take me.

Take me there’.” ■