The response from the Minister of Health defending Cabinet’s new appointee as Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Health is quite unnecessary.  

It causes more embarrassment for him as Minister of Health. He should always be careful with letters written by others for him to sign.  

The implication conveyed was that he has no confidence in the management abilities of the Doctors, Administrators and Nurses that served under him and Cabinet with distinction.  

It is true I did open the Clinic Trust with great joy that the Vice Chancellor for the National University of Samoa was the most suitable choice.

That the Clinic is now under Trust does not remove the allegation of conflict of interest, because the owner still works for the clinic part time and with the MOH facilities and human resources used or engaged by the clinic, the conflict of interest will be greater when he is the boss. 

My advice for the new appointee to decline the appointment still remains. He will be under greater public scrutiny should he ignore the concern we have raised. 

I note also that the former CEO of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, who was forced to resign, is again another candidate for the same vacant post he was discharged from.  

A long list of abuse of women employees etc. in the Justice Ministry, to which he admitted to in writing to the PSC, will be embarrassing for him and family should he be resurrected once again by the Government to the same post.  

And we will continue to monitor these appointments by the Government.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi

Leader of HRPP