SAUNOAGA AUTU – AFIOGA SUI PALEMIA/MINISITA O TIUTE MA TUPE MAUA HON. TUALA TEVAGA IOSEFO PONIFASIO “TATALA ALOA’IA O LE MASINI FA’ATA MA LE NOFOAGA MO LE SU’EINA O PUSA OLOA[...]

ASO TOFI, 25 IULAI, 2024 - 5:00 ILE AFIAFI

Susu o lau susuga i le taitai o le sauniga - Rev. Siaosi Matai'a

Afifio Minisita o le Kapeneta,

Afio le Fofoga Fetalai,

Afio le Taitai o le Itu-agai,

Afifio Minisita Lagolago ma le Paia o Sui Mamalu o le Palemene

Afio lau Afioga i le Faamasino Sili, faapea Afioga i Faamasino

ma le Ofisa o le Faamasinoga

Afifio Sui o Malo mai Fafo

Fa'auluuluga o Matagaluega ma Ofisa o le Malo

Fa'auluuluga ma Sui o Kamupani ma Pisinisi Tumaoti

Le mamalu ma le paia o le Auvala'aulia ma Samoa ua potopoto

O lea ua memea fa'alau'ie laulelei tapenaga o le taeao ma le asõ. Ua mae'a ona momoli mea i Matautu Sā, e sula ai le alofa o le Atua Silisili Ese, i lana pule fa'asoa ua tatou feiloa'i ai i luma o nu'u, ae le o tua o nu'u. Fa'afetai tele i lau susuga ile Fa'afeagaiga mo le fa'amalosia'u, ao se fafagu mo le mamalu ua afifio nei. Fa'afetai le fai tatalo, e maualuga le talitonuga, ua logo malie i fofoga o le Atua a tatou talosaga, ma la tatou fa'asagi i lenei afiafī.

O aso fa'apenei, o upu a le atunu'u, "Ua ou tu ai nei i le to'a ae ou va'ai i le tasi ae afe". O upu fo'i i le Motu i Sasa'e, "Ua paū le tai samasama ina ua la'asia le tai fa'ala'e. Ma goto le va'a o mala ae ea le va'a o manū i le lagi e mamā ma le soifua maua. Tatou ave lea i uta e fai ma viiga sili o le Atua.

O pa'ia ma mamalu ua malu taue'e ai le afifio o Samoa ua potopoto, i lenei aso, o le va'a lava e fa'aufi gatā, ae o le i'a foi mai moana ua uma ona 'aīsa. Tulouna ia paia o le Atua i lana Aufaigaluega Totofi, Tulouna le Paia o le Tafatolu Fa'atauagai o le Malo o Samoa, Tulouna ia paia fa'ale-atunu'u le ua malu taue'e.

Ou te muamua fa'atulou i paia o eleele nei, o le paia a lea auā Sinave ma Uluomoto'otua, e afio ai To'omalatai o le Alo o Sina. Alalata'i le Faletolu, alalata'i le Vainalepa, Susū mai Tuisamau. Tulouna ia paia o Samoa ua aofia nei. O le paia lava lea auā tama ma o latou Aiga, o Aiga mo a latou Tama, Tumua ma Pule, Ituau ma Alataua, Aiga i le Tai ma le Va'a o Fonoti. Tulouna lava.

E iai le talitonuga e le o toe po malaē i le paia ua sasao nei, i le 'auga ma le fa'amoemoe e pei ona vala'au fa'aaloalo atu ai lenei Matagaluega, tatou te patipatia lenei atina'e ua i'u ma le manuia. Fa'afetai i le Atua, ma e fa'aleo ai le Agaga Fa'afetai tele i lo outou talisapaia o lenei vala'au. Ua tatou potopoto se'i tatala aloa'ia lenei atina'e taua mo lenei Matagaluega o lo tatou Malo, ae o se atina'e e sili ona taua mo si o tatou atunu'u.

Ona o le filogia o lo tatou aofia, o le a taumafai atu ai se faamatalaga e tusa ma le fa'amoemoe i le Gagana Peretania.

Reverend Siaosi Mataia

Honorable Ministers of Cabinet

Speaker, Leader of the Opposition Party,

Associate Ministers, Members of Parliament

Hon. Chief Justice and Members of the Judiciary

Your Excellencies & Members of the Diplomatic Corp

Chief Exective Officers of Government Ministries and Public Enterprises

Executives and Members of the Private Sectors

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is with great honor and pleasure that I welcome you all here to the Official Launch and Opening Ceremony to officiate our first ever Customs Container X-ray Scanner and Container Examination Facility.

The Container X-ray Scanner and the Container Examination Facility are components of the Apia Ports Enhancement Project that pertains to our Ministry. This is parts and parcel of the government's response to the nation's outcry on the growing problem of illicit trade and illicit goods which have made its way to our shores. It is the government's utmost commitment to foster social harmony, safety and freedom for all, with one of its key priority focus on Security and Trusted Governance. Security and prosperity of all Samoans are key priorities for the Ministry of Customs and Revenue, and with a mission to Enhance Border Security and Trade Facilitation, this project assures that we achieve our vision and mission. The officiation of these two important projects is indeed a milestone for our Ministry and even our country as it is the first container xray scanner to be used in our Border and Customs work.

When I was appointed into office following the general elections in 2021, one of the projects that was already underway in its process was the procurement of the Customs Container X-ray Scanner. It is a development that had been in the pipeline for years, and the Minisry had a number of challenges with securing the funds and / or donor for this project. It is not a cheap ordeal and I was adamant on this process to ensure that we get the best type of scanner, that will best serve the role and purpose of the Ministry, and assure that we can gauge the confidence of the country that we are prepared to counter challenges and issues faced with border security.

This project has been a long time coming for Samoa. Parliamentarians, members of the public and private sectors, ministers of religion and Cabinet have voiced shared concerns on the challenge faced with narcotics, firearms and the like. Our Ministry has been in the forefront of being blamed and questioned on our role to protect our borders when these illicit items are found by our internal law enforcement agencies. This became the drive for our Ministry to procure this important piece of equipment.

For the container examination facility, there is tremendous improvement from its previous state. We have faced a number of feedback from the public, importers and agents for years due to the state of the examination area. We have been concerned for the health and well being of our staff who work in this area and have also received verbatim feedback through our Staff Engagement survey on their health and safety concerns.

I am pleased to announce that this vision of security, public and staff safety and well being has been realized and we very much looking forward to putting this to very good use to protect our country. With the lead up to Samoa's upcoming host for the CHOGM, there is confidence now in our Ministry's work and our mission in effectively protecting our Borders.

I must acknowledge the following people, offices and organizations for their immense contribution in this work:

1. Firstly, we must always and foremostly give Thanks to God for the guidance and the thought instilled in our leaders which led to the initiation and progress of these important projects.

2. To the Honorable Prime Minister and Cabinet for their positive consideration and approval rendered on our Ministry's request.

3. To the Asian Development Bank for its kind financial assistance which made it possible to realize this dream.

4. The Samoa Ports Authority, the Project Management Unit and the Ministry of Finance for the coordinating and leading role in this project.

5. Nuctech company for the supply of the equipment and the company's rep

Mr. Li Tian Yang for accommodating our many requests in the supply, installation and commissioning of the container X-ray scanner.

6. China Harbor and Engineering Company and Beca Consultants for the construction and quality assuance of both the X-ray building and Container Examination Facility.

7. The Speaker of Parliament and Parliamentarians for continually raising this national issue which pushed the progress of this work.

8. Last but not the least, our key stakeholders, Ministry staff and the public at large for your patience and support in all forms.

In ending, I also want to render encouragement to the staff of the Ministry of Customs and Revenue who will be utilising these two important facilities. There is a saying in Samoan, 'E le o le tino o le fale e taua, ae o le ano fale', it simply means that it is not the shape or structure of the facility that is important, it is the people who will be using it, and how these facilities are put to good use, to serve a greater purpose. The procurement phase of this project is done, the officiation of these projects is also done today, the main work is now on you. Please use this high value equipment for a greater good and uphold your high level of integrity at all times. Contine to be God fearing public servants and put these equipment and facilities to good use.

Ia manuia tele le tatala aloaiaina o nei meafaigaluega taua, ia tele se aoga mo le saogalemu ma le soifua lelei o si o tatou atunu'u.

Manuteleina le aofia ua potopoto i le alofa ma le agalelei o le Atua.

Soifua ma ia manuia !!

Ata Pueina - Malo o Samoa (Leota Marc Membrere)

August 19, 2024

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