By Savea Sano Malifa
APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, Mar. 28, 2010) – Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa deserves a pat on the back for promptly sorting out the mess involving the Speaker’s expensive vehicle.

He obviously did what he thought was politically correct telling some people off, sending the limo back, keeping the Speaker on, and thus relieving a lot of people of a lot of dread and pain. So let’s hope that from now on those government leaders who’re entertaining the idea of driving expensive cars at the public’s expense will desist.

It’s just not right. Government leaders are supposed to lead, not stoop to greed. They are there to set the example for the rest to follow. No one follows a leader who cannot inspire trust, or is accused of being involved in shady deals.

As we look around this country today we see government vehicles being abused everywhere. There doesn’t seem to be any control any more. Apart from the vehicles’ big price tags, there’s the cost to wear and tear, petrol, tyres and repairs, all of which the public must bear.

Meantime the people of Savaii are having to make do with an ancient barge that is hardly fit for human travel. It is rusty all over, there is no shelter on board for people so that when the big swells strike, both vehicles and humans are thoroughly drenched. It’s such a shame.

Because as that barge is sailing back and forth between Mulifanua and Salelologa posing a serious threat to human lives, they’re just sitting back doing nothing as if all is well.

And as they’re doing so they’re once again poking the blade into freedom - this time its freedom of religion - with the idea of slicing out portions of it.

What’s wrong with freedom of religion enshrined in our so-called Supreme Law anyway? Is it dirty, battered, or broken? Well, from where we’re sitting it looks perfect.

There’s no denying though that the seemingly relentless assault on this country’s Constitution continues to disturb and amaze. Already it has been altered a number of times simply to satisfy the government’s political whims.

Some of those alterations – if not all of them – have arguably been made with the aim of bolstering the government’s hold on power even though this power is already deemed unchallengeable.

They include hasty adjustments which deny members of the public their right to "assemble peaceably and without arms," and to "form associations or unions."

Designed to punish Members of Parliament (MP) who refuse to toe the government line involving the formation of political parties, the strategy worked.

Two weeks ago three MPs resigned from Parliament as a result, and now that their seats are up for grabs, they’ll be heading for three separate by-elections some time soon.

Needless to say these by-elections are going to be costly undertakings towards which taxpayers will once again have to fork out in silence. Indeed, they have no right to complain or say no.

And then as if that act of legal sabotage is not enough, our freedom to worship in the religion of our choice is being targeted. It is at the mercy of a commission authorized to put it on the cutting block then chop it up if it so decides.

But why are they doing this now? Why didn’t they do it last year or the year before? It’s a pity though. Isn’t helping those tsunami scarred victims at Aleipata and Falealili back on their feet a worthier cause for the public’s hard-earned taxes, than a lousy commission who’s job is to look into something that does not need looking into?

Let there be no question about this. Freedom of religion is highly personal. No one – or a commission for that matter – can decide for you what your religion should be. Neither can anyone – or a commission for that matter – force a religion that has already been established by free men and women to shut down. Only God can do that.

Today it is difficult to believe our government should feel it has the right to mess around with our freedom of religion. Freedom of religion is succinctly a personal choice. It is synonymous with choosing your life companion to share with which is the very basis of your individualism.

In this country today there is worry among the mainstream religions – or churches - that their memberships are dwindling. And that is understandable enough. Whether we like it or not poverty is decidedly responsible. Members are moving away because they can no longer give what their churches want. They simply cannot afford to.

So that they are leaving not by choice but because they have to Just look around you and you will soon know why. Our three mainstream churches own a large portion of Beach Road, they run schools and other special services, and by doing so they require lots of money to operate and upkeep them.

So that when they push for donations many leave. This way materialism is eating away at the core concept of religion; and as it is doing so it is somehow becoming tainted and unremarkable. In his day – our churches have been telling us - Jesus chased the merchants out of the church which they were using as their house of trade. And yet today money is being encouraged freely inside most churches; it is the craving for it that is now controlling the way church leaders think.

But dwindling numbers should not be a reason for the government to meddle with freedom of religion. We repeat, it is a personal choice and as such it must remain. If we’re going to ban non-Christian churches, deny freedom to worship in the religion of one’s choice, are we going to ban agnostics and atheists too?

Let’s not make our basic freedoms any less durable than they are today. Since if we did so, we’d dismantle the cornerstones on which our country is founded so that it self-destructs, and we all suffer the consequences.

In any case, since we are all so obsessed with freedom anyway, why is it that this country does not have a freedom of information law? Or are we so intent on removing our fundamental rights, so that we are blinded to the idea of seeing one of them rise out of the rubble of our stupid paranoia and silly fears? Tell us what you think.

Have a peaceful Sunday Samoa, God bless.

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