There is power when you can control the narrative; this is not a new concept. This is a tale as old as time and a political tool utilised by leaders throughout the centuries.

As a seasoned politician, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries La'auli Leuatea Schmidt seems to be doing just that. This is not a fixation on the minister but on the comments he has made in his interview with the New Zealand-based media.

It is concerning that he has again attempted to control the narrative and attempted to force an outcome to a situation that should be done the way he thinks. This has to do with the current cases that are in front of the court and the police tribunal.

He goes on to name the police officers who are part of the 2021 hit-and-run investigation and takes it a step further by alleging bribery and corruption on the part of the officers without providing the evidence. We urge him to provide the evidence and not say something that he knows his followers will take as the truth. It is amazing how he forgets that the police are the government.

He tries to wear two hats when he talks about critical issues. He wears the government hat when he talks about the district grants and changes it to his political party hat when he undermines the work of hard-working civil servants, in this instance, police officers.

This is unacceptable because the Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party is the government and the two cannot be separated. He pulled a similar stint in Savaii when responding to questions about unfulfilled election promises. He told the people that their member of parliament could not be present because she had to work correcting court decisions.

What was wrong with that statement was that the Minister of Justice was looking at amendments for law and not court decisions and Laauli in one breath undermined the work of the judiciary. This is not the message the public needs. What will they think of the civil service and the judiciary if a senior cabinet minister keeps undermining them?

It seems he is shooting himself in the foot by insinuating that the civil servants, who are the government, are not doing their work properly. He is also in danger of being in contempt of court as the matter he refers to is now sub judice or in front of the court and his constant attempts to undermine key witnesses and investigating officers is nothing but interference.

If he chooses to wear the FAST Party Chair’s hat most times, then it would be appropriate for him to explain the behaviour of his party member Fepuleai Faimata Sua, who lied to go to Pago Pago and then brought national embarrassment by attempting to use a diplomatic passport and trying to muscle his way into another country without proper papers.

As the Chair of FAST, has he not made any comments or remarks about Fa'asaleleaga No.2 MP Magele Sekati Fiaui. The MP is in the middle of a saga whereby $175,000 of public funds has just disappeared from the face of this earth.

We would also like the minister to talk about what he was doing in Hong Kong when the three Chinese stock exchange companies announced their involvement with Samoa or why these three companies list his district office in Savaii as their postal address. He may also like to explain why one of his children was listed as a director of one of the companies.

Or perhaps explain how one tour company, the latest one to be registered, was given all business from the inaugural flight from China.

The public has the right to know and that only can be done by talking to us and allowing Samoa Observer to put the questions to you. It seems that if the minister takes this approach, he loses control of the narrative because unlike the questions asked by the New Zealand media, these questions would not be rehearsed.

There is a danger when the public is given the wrong information and that is what the minister has been doing. When we hear “fake news” and “alternative facts,” we know this is technically not the first time. This has become the battle cry of many who don’t like how the news cycle is going and want to be in control of the narrative.

This controlling of the narrative has also seen the support of the FAST Party being divided in opinion. There is a side that blindly follows the words of the minister and has even started a Sam Sua fan club and is out in numbers at court to support all those charged by police along with Sam Sua.

This has also led to some FAST Party supporters questioning the leadership of the Prime Minister if any of the comments on social media are anything to go by.

If the minister is telling the truth and has nothing to hide, he should not be afraid to talk to the Samoa Observer on any of the issues that have been highlighted.