CABINET RESUMES CONVERSATION TO BLOCK FACEBOOK
By: Nanai Taofiga Laveitiga Tuiletufuga
Coupled with audible public concerns registered and within the government high ranks, Cabinet has resume the conversation to temporary block the Facebook social media platform, the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi revealed at a press conference with members of the local media yesterday evening.
“Government has received these concerns and they are not taken lightly,” said Tuilaepa noting that he has spoken publicly in the past condemning the abusive and unregulated use of the Facebook platform to defame innocent members of the public not including high ranking government officials like himself but Cabinet Ministers and high ranking officials in both the public and private sector.
“It’s under discussion,” he reiterated without elaborating on possible future actions by Government.
Tuilaepa’s response comes less than a week after another Samoan citizen residing in Melbourne Australia was wrongfully implicated with the Prime Minister in an alleged conspiracy plot to assassinate former Member of Parliament Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt.
Last week Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi received a Letter of Clarification from Luaiva Aiono, a Samoan based in Melbourne Australia. The letter vehemently denies a Facebook post by the OLP blogger implicating him in the alleged conspiracy plot by the Prime Minister to assassinate Member of Parliament Laaulialemalietoa.
In his letter posted on his personal Facebook page and emailed to the Press Secretariat, Aiono denied the post saying that with all honesty he did not write the document that was used by OLP blog, to promote a confession made in communication with the Prime Minister to plot an assassination of the former Member of Parliament Laauli.
He added that someone had used his name and identity.
“I had no knowledge of such a thing and at no time did the PM and I communicated on such matter, refuted Aiono declaring his innocence to clear his name.
Responding to Aiono, the Prime Minister issued the following statement;
“Like myself, Luaiva Aiono is the innocent victim.
“And like many of the posts by OLP, the Government and country’s profile as an accountable, transparent and safe Samoa is again victimised by the OLP faceless group of pathological liars.
“With that said, I would like to acknowledge Aiono’s integrity and honesty in swiftly dismissing the deceitful lies. I extend my regrets to Luaiva and his family. And that said, I am not in the least surprised that OLP had handpicked this poor man to be his pawn based on his Aiono surname as I also hold the Aiono matai title. It is the act of cowards.
“This is the same M.O. used by King Faipopo and Tala Pauga to defame me and both have confessed in court admitting to their lies in their childish attempts to overthrow government.
“This also serves an audible and crystal clear notice that Government will not sit idle from investigating fake posts that will shame the reputation of innocent individuals and their family’s’ because we now have the capacity at our disposal to do so.”
The OLP page has since removed the post.
