MY SAY : Learning Curve Or Lack Of Depth In Leadership?

2026-03-18 - 07:35

By Pio Sioa Hopefully, the official visits by Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong and NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has taught PM Laauli a few, much needed lessons in international diplomacy. Minister Wong, came here for talks with Government and in good faith handed over Australia’s grant to Lakapi Samoa. Simple enough. Sign Over. Shake Hands. Wave Off. Safe Trip Home. End of story. Why should she care about PM Laauli taking a personal attack on Tuilaepa as Lakapi Samoa Board Chairman? Cabinet Ministers are normally briefed on matters they are directly involved with or likely to come across on official visits. This is part of required preparations necessary to keep them fully informed. Obviously, Minister Wong knew all she needed to know before arriving in Samoa to formalise the $50m help for Lakapi Samoa. The same for Fiji and Tonga’s Rugby Unions, included in the same grant. So what benefits are there for Australia’s goodwill gesture by getting dragged into the mud of a vindictive political lash out by Samoa’s PM against Tuilaepa? Hopefully, this is not how Minister Wong felt when PM Laauli made his undiplomatic spill straight into her startled face. As host country we certainly don’t want her to wonder...“did I have to come all this way to hear this childish rant?” PM Laauli reportedly made it public before NZ PM Luxon’s visit that the visiting leader will be bestowed a ‘matai’ title while here. Nothing new with honorary bestowals on visiting foreign dignitaries. What turned this one into a shameful “who said that” finger pointing embarrassment, are alleged claims that PM Christopher Luxon wanted a ‘matai’ title. No he did not. Fact. Confirmed. In the end the NZ leader out of courtesy accepted the Government offer for the bestowal of the ‘Tuisinavemaulumotootua’ title. Unfortunately, there are families reportedly claiming ownership of the title and protesting the right of bestowal. Fortunately, all this shameful turn of events matters little to the respect and dignity of the NZ leadership and people. Why would they bother with a Samoan ‘matai’ title they did not ask for or wanted conferred on their PM? How likely for all in New Zealand to remember or even bother to do so the PM’s ‘matai’ title? If anyone should be embarrassed or feel scandalised it is the Samoan people, wherever they maybe. The whole process from the start to finish was scandalous. PM Luxon wanted only to talk state matters when meeting his Samoan opposite. The offer of a ‘matai’ title and the subsequent fall out is entirely the Samoa PM’s doing. Whether it is courtesy or unashamedly trying to score political points by riding on PM Luxon’s back, lets leave it there. Move along.