KEYNOTE ADDRESS by the Minister of Commerce Industry and Labour, Honourable Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua (14th March 2025)
Reverend Misipati Afutiti,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to all participants representing various organizations, school principals, teachers and students who are gathered here today for the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Labour (Ministry) Awareness Day.
TALOFA LAVA
Today’s programme marks the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day, an important occasion dedicated to celebrating consumer rights and standing in solidarity with the global consumer movement.
The Ministry commemorated the World Consumer Rights Day on March 14th, 2025, in advance of the internationally recognized date of March 15th, which falls on a Saturday. The World Consumer Rights Day is an annual event that provides an opportunity to advocate for the protection and respect of consumer rights while addressing market abuses and social injustices that undermine those rights. The World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by President John F Kennedy, who, on March 15, 1962, delivered a special message to the US Congress that formally acknowledged the importance of consumer rights. The day was first observed by Consumer International (CI) on 15 March 1983 and continues to be commemorated each year on this date, driving action on key issues and campaigns. This year marks the 27th celebration of World Consumer Rights Day in Samoa.
In June 1998, the Samoan Government enacted the Fair Trading Act, aimed at protecting consumer rights and establishing conduct standards for businesses operating in Samoa. This legislation was later refined and strengthened by the Competition and Consumer Act of 2016.
In honour of this special day, the Ministry sets aside the universal theme “A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles” but chooses to proceed raising commitment in engaging consumers and businesses to interact in a solid and competitive trading environment by conducting an outreach program.
The eight fundamental Consumer Rights include:
1. Right to satisfaction of basic needs
2. Right to safety
3. Right to information
4. Right to choose
5. Right to representation
6. Right to redress
7. Right to a healthy environment
8. Right to consumer education
It is our hope that by the conclusion of today’s activities, all attendees will have a comprehensive understanding of their consumer rights and obligations, the Ministry’s services and its integral role within our community. We also eagerly anticipate receiving your valuable feedback to further improve our services.
On that note, I wish you all a successful and enriching day.
I HEREBY DECLARE THIS AWARENESS DAY OFFICIALLY OPENED.
Soifua.
FAAMANATUINA O LE ASO FAAPITOA MO AIA TATAU A TAGATA FAATAU 2025
SAUNOAGA AUTU a le Minisita o le Matagaluega o Pisinisi Alamanuia ma Laipa le afioga Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua, (14 Mati 2025)
E manatu o lea ua pale i galutu’u seegapapa a le tupu e pei o le fetalaiga i le malae o le Tea Malosi . Ua o tatou fesilafai foi i pu’e o manu ae le o mala i le alofa ma le agalelei o le Tapaau Sili i le Lagi. Ae e’e ia i vaatapu ou paia sausaugatā Samoa auā o paia lava mai le vavau seia o’o i le faavavau.
Lau Susūga i le Ta’ita’i o le sauniga ma le pa’ia maualuga o le valaaulia. Mālo le soifua manuia ma le lagi e mamā. O lea ua māe’a ona asa uta mamao ma uta lalata, ua uma foi ona paniniu pa’ia o le taeao ma le aso e pei ona saunoa i ai le fofoga o le aso. Ae o le a salatonu ia lau o le fō ma vili tonu le ifi a Māina e tusa ai ma le faamoemoe o lenei aso.
O le faamoemoe ua taunuu, o le la’au lea o le soifua. Faafetai tele mo le taliaina o le vala’au atu a le Matagaluega ina ia tatou auai faatasi I lenei faamoemoe.
O lenei faamoemoe ua faapitoa lea mo le faailogaina o le Aso Faapitoa mo le Puipuia o Aia Tatau a Tagata Faatau.
O le aso 15 o Mati i tausaga taitasi e faamanatuina ai i le lalolagi atoa le Aso Faapitoa mo le Faalauiloaina o Aia Tatau a Tagata Faatau o le Lalolagi (World Consumer Rights Day). Talu ai o le aso 15 e pāu i le Aso Toonai, o lea ua faailogaina ai i le asō le aso faapitoa i lenei tausaga.
O lenei Aso Faapitoa sa ulua’i faamamaluina mai le tausaga e 1983 e se tasi o Peresetene ta’uta’ua o le malo o Amerika, o John F Kennedy. O le tausaga e 1998 na amata faamamaluina ai i Samoa lenei aso faapitoa ina ua pasiaina le Tulafono o Fefaatauaiga Talafeagai lea ua suia nei i le Tulafono o Faiga Faatauvaga mo Fefaatauaiga ma le Puipuia o Tagata e Fa’aaogaina Oloa ma Auaunaga 2016. O se tasi o sini autu o lenei Tulafono o le puipuia lea o aia tatau a tagata faatau i le atunuu.
O le luasefulu fitu (27) ai lenei o tausaga talu ona faamamaluina i Samoa lenei aso faapitoa ma ua avea ai lava le aso 15 o Mati o tausaga taitasi ma aso faapitoa mo lenei faamoemoe taua. O se faailoga foi lea o le faatauaina tele o aia tatau a tagata faatau uma.
O ia Aia Tatau e 8 e aofia ai:
1. Aia Tatau i oloa ma auaunaga saogalemu
2. Aia Tatau i faamatalaga o oloa ma auaunaga
3. Aia Tatau e filifili ai i oloa lelei ma auaunaga talafeagai ma lou mana’o
4. Aia Tatau faa-le-tulafono
5. Aia Tatau mo le faamalieina o manaoga masani
6. Aia Tatau e toe faaleleia ai se oloa, toe sui se oloa, poo le toe totogi foi o se oloa poo se auaunaga ua lē talafeagai
7. Aia Tatau i se si’osi’omaga mama
8. Aia Tatau ia A’oa’oina
Ua filifili le Matagaluega e faataatia le Sini Autu Faavaomalo mo lenei Tausaga “O se suiga tonu i se olaga gafataulimaina” ae faatautaia polokalame faalauiloa e saga unaia atili ai le silafia o tagata faatau i a latou matafaioi poo aia tatau.
O se faamanatu taua tele mo tagata faatau, ia fa’aaogaina a latou aia tatau ma le tatau i taimi o fefaatauaiga ma fesoasoani tele ia ausia se si’osi’omaga maloloina ma talafeagai i maketi o fefaatauaiga.
E i ai le manatu maualuga o le a fa’aaogaina lenei avanoa tatou te talatalanoa ai ma fefa’asoa’i i mataupu uma o loo mafai ona tuuina atu ai se fesoasoani, fautuaga ma se auaunaga a lenei Matagaluega. E le gata i lea o ni auaunaga e tatau ona faaleleia atili a le Matagaluega.
Ia manūteleina lenei aso i le alofa o le Atua, ma ou te faamalosi ‘au atu ina ia fa’aaoga lenei avanoa lelei ma le tāua tatou te fefaasoaa’i ai ma fetufaa’i ai. Ia tatala le tofā ma le faautautaga sasa’a i finagalo o le tatou mafutaga ina ia tofu le gogo ma si ana i’a auā lava le sini autu o lenei aso. Ia agalelei mai le Alii ma tulituliloaina pea i tatou i lona alofa tunoa ma lona filemu ma taitaiina atu i tatou uma i le faaiuga o lenei faamoemoe.
UA TATALA ALOAIA LE TATOU FAAMOEMOE I LE ASŌ.
SOIFUA MA IA MANUIA.
Ata Pueina – Malo o Samoa (Taunuuga Toatasi)
