PEPA O FAAMATALAGA
Na faamaonia e le Kapeneta i le aso Lulu, 09 Aperila 2014, le lipoti a le Komisi Suesue – e aofia ai fautuaga – i tulaga o lo o i ai nei le falepuipui i Tafaigata faapea ma isi mataupu e fesootai i ai.
O lo o manino otootoga mai le lipoti 75 itulau i nisi o faafitauli tau i pulega ma faafoega i totonu o le Matagaluega ma le amanaia o tulaga logovale, o mea ua tutupu e le maua ai se viiga faapea ma amio le talafeagai i totonu o le falepuipui autu o le atunuu.
Na saunoa le Afioga i le Alii Palemia, Susuga Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi e faapea; “A e meamanū, o vaivaiga ia na maualafia ai nei faafitauli o mafuaaga tonu foi ia na faapogai ai le Teuteuga o Tulafono Faaleoleo na faamaonia i le Palemene i le tausaga ua te’a e fofo ai vaivaiga o lo o i totonu o le falepuipui. E autu lava i le tuueseeseina o le pulega ma faafoega o le falepuipui mai galuega faaleoleo, o se faiga lea o le a agai tonu ai loa le Pulega o Falepuipui e ave le faamuamua i auala uma e siitia ai le vaaiga o pagota.
“Toe o se aga ona i ai lea o le Ofisa Sili ma le Pulega o le falepuipui lava ia e silasila toto’a mo mea silisili mo le agai i luma o faiga faafalepuipui a e le faapei ona i ai i aso ia sa matele le Matagaluega i le matafaioi o le leoleoina o le Tulafono. O le isi itu taua o le tuuina atu lea o le paoa faale tulafono e mafai ai ona faia e le Komesina o Sulufaiga suesuega o ni moliaga faasino i ni leoleo i ni amioga le talafeagai.
“ O vaivaiga o lo o faailoagofie mai i totonu o le lipoti e mafuli i uiga lē tatau o lo o faagaoioia le falepuipui. O lo o tuuina mai e le Komisi ia fautuaga mo le toe fuataiina o olaga o pagota ma le siitia o le tomai o alii ma tamaitai ofisa o le falepuipui.
I le itu i fale ma pa puipui, ua fautuaina ai e le Komisi le fauga o nisi potu taofia mautu atoa ma se pa malosi e si’omia ai. O lo o fautuaina foi le faia o se nofoaga mo auaunaga faafoma’i faapea ma se nofoaga mo auaunaga faafaufautua.
Mo le Vaega o Tomai Faapitoa a Leoleo (Police Professional Standards Unit), o lo o fautua mai le lipoti, e tatau ona vave faatino le latou galuega o le suesueina o mataupu tuua o loo aafia ai Ofisa Leoleo ua tuuina atu i le Vaega o Tomai Faapitoa e pei ona suena e le Komisi Suesue.
Sa faapitoa ona faitioina e le lipoti le tautalagia o se manaoga vave mo le siitia o le laasaga lelei maualuga ma le mamalu o amio a leoleo.
O le isi laasaga o le galuega o le a sosoo ai ma le Komisi – i lalo o le Tulafono a Leoleo – o le a tautalagia ai le mataupu ogaoga po o gafatia pea e le Komesina o lo o i ai nei faapea ma le Ofisa Sili Lagolago – o le Falepuipui i Tafaigata – ona faamalieina le faatinoga o a laua matafaioi e pei ona faamautietie i sailiga a le Komisi Suesue .
E fa vaiaso o lo o tālia ai lenei lipoti.”
PRESS RELEASE
Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Commission of Inquiry report- including all its recommendations – into conditions at Tafaigata Prison and other related issues.
Said Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi;
The 75-page report lucidly outlined several management and administrative problems at the Ministry and validated unfavourable conditions, unflattering incidents and incongruous behaviour at the country’s main prison.
Said Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi;
“Fortunately, the weaknesses that led to these problems have been addressed in the Police (Servant Amendment) Act that Parliament approved last year. It essentially separated the management and administration of Prisons from general policing.
“Prisons will soon have its own chief executive and management to concentrate on the best interests and advancing the prison system when before, the Police ministry was dominated by core policing the law.”
It recommends that the Ombudsman’s office plays a broader and more active role in the regular review and of prison conditions and regular monitoring of prisoners’ general welfare as well as initiate and develop training programmes for prison officers.
“The weaknesses identified in the report are mainly to do with the systems in respect of operations and controls. The Commission provides recommendations that will make the prison systems much more effective in terms of rehabilitating prisoners and upgrading the skills of prison officers.
In terms of infrastructure, the Commission recommends the construction of more secure holding cells and perimeter fencing. It also recommends the establishment of an in-house medical clinic and facilities for counselling services.
The Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU), the report recommends, should immediately execute its job of investigating several outstanding cases involving Police officers that were brought to its (PSU) desk, as unearthed in the Inquiry.
The report was particularly scathing in addressing the urgent need to lift the calibre and integrity level of police personnel.
The Commission as to its next phase of the Inquiry – under the Police Act – will address the issue of the capacity of the incumbent Commissioner and the ACEO – Tafaigata Prisons – to perform their functions satisfactorily as highlighted in the Inquiry’s findings.
That final report should be available within four weeks.”
