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Fiame with USP governance counterparts: (L-R) Fiji Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, (then) Cook
Islands PM Henry Puna, Graeme McNally, Fiame, Jenni Lighowlers and Satish Chand.
concerns. Now they’ve loosened up a bit on the retailing, on there for a long time, he has gained seniority and to a large
the restaurants and bars and so forth…but they’re still very extent he has demonstrated good leadership but unfortu-
insistent on keeping the numbers low.” nately, and I don’t know if it is my personal bias at the mo-
ment, but I think there’s been a regression, especially around
Samoans in the region and abroad governance issues, democracy and those things. I’m not quite
Sectors of Samoa’s diaspora have also been vocal on the sure why this is happening. I don’t know if it is a political
lands and titles issue. That diaspora, which numbers well thing that we’re playing the ‘custom and tradition card, you
over 129,000 according to the International Labour Organisa- understand how that happens at times, but I think when gov-
tion, has a huge role to play in Samoa’s development believes ernments start to move away from the rule of law, and I think
Fiame. Remittances are critical to Samoa’s economy, provid- we’ve been pretty good as a country that has been indepen-
ing about 15% of GDP in ‘normal’ years. The World Bank esti- dent for close to 60 years, what’s our track record, are we
mates remittances to Asia and the Pacific will fall by 11% this actually able to build on the benefits of democratic and rule
year due to COVID-19, and Pacific nations have called for a of law? Sadly I’m seeing a bit of regression in my country, and
moratorium on remittance transfer fees to reduce the burden it’s a bit of a worry.”
of the pandemic. Fiame has spent her entire political career with the HRPP
“The remittances and so forth, that is no small thing,” and says her decision to leave its fold and the government has
Fiame says. “Remittances have kept our books balanced for as led her to reflect about her time with the establishment.
long as I can recall. Not only that, but they provide that social “I was there right from the start of the HRPP, even before
security for families that governments are not able to pro- I became a member of parliament and I think it’s when you
vide… So [the diaspora] does have a big [role]. And of course lose focus about why you started what you wanted to do. I’ve
when you talk about their land and their title, it’s close to been reflecting on this, and I think when the problem began
every Samoan’s heart so they are very active in the discus- to happen is when it became more about staying in power,
sions and debates. rather than actually following through the commitment to
“And also the diaspora now living in countries where development goals. You can set the macroeconomics and that
there’s robust democracies and processes are transparent sort of thing but if you don’t work on the units, the human
and accountable and so forth, of course they have a level of units, if you don’t work on that to make sure there are people
expectation of governments which perhaps local populations to do it, then it won’t happen, and I don’t think we’ve been
aren’t at.” able to do that.”
As Samoa’s education minister for 15 years, and six years as She says there’s a generation now in Samoa that doesn’t
Chair of the University of the South Pacific Council, Fiame has know anything else but HRPP, and that with such a command-
strong views on the ongoing problems at USP. ing majority, it’s difficult to have other voices come in. “It’s
“I am a strong believer in regionalism, especially because of also the particular style of the leader; he’s not only the leader
the nature of our region being smaller countries, that it just but he is the spokesperson for government, so you really don’t
makes sense for us to work together, especially in key areas get to hear anyone else but him. So it’s a concern, not only in
like education. And unfortunately, I’ve always felt like USP terms of the voices being heard, but now the issue is around
was one of the more successful regional undertakings but I see that absolute power. Because essentially that’s the situation,
it sort of fading away, so I’m very concerned about that. and you know the quote on absolute power, don’t you?”
“There is a sense too, there’s a pendulum thing with us in Will Fiame’s gamble reap rewards in April’s election? And
the Pacific, sometimes we talk a lot about regionalism but I how does she feel about the future? “It’s a very good place to
don’t think we’ve still been able to demonstrate that we can be, maybe a bit late, but not too late hopefully,” she says.
do it and do it well.”
“I’m a bit concerned about Samoa’s role in the region,” editor@islandsbusiness.com
Fiame continues. “I think as we have a leader who has been

12 Islands Business, November 2020