Cabinet decision next week

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 31 May 2016, 12:00AM

A recommendation on who will head two key government Ministries will be tabled before Cabinet next week for their final decision. 

Up for grabs is the C.E.O. position at the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) and the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C.). Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Selafi Purcell said the recommendation from the panel for S.T.A. is on his table. 

“I will look at it then prepare the report for Cabinet next week,” said Lautafi. 

“There is no Cabinet this week because it’s a short week and there is the Independence celebration. But all the candidates for the position are very qualified people.”

Lautafi confirmed that all five of them were shortlisted.  Some of the applicants include the incumbent C.E.O. Papali’i Sonja Hunter and former C.E.O. of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Matafeo Tanielu Aiafi. 

While the Minister will pass on his report on the post next week he made it clear that he does not want the document to sit around for long “in case someone leaks it to the media and loses the credibility of the process”. 

He added if any Minister wants to look at the process of the interviews it might defer the appointment to the following week. 

Another S.O.E. that has its C.E.O. contract over is S.L.C.  Lautafi said there were ten people that applied and interviews have been done two weeks ago. 

“I’m expecting that decision to be on my desk this week,” he said. 

“I will probably give the paper to Cabinet next week with S.T.A. if that report gets to me this week.”

The current S.L.C. chief is Afoa Arasi Tiotio who also reapplied. 

Other S.O.E.s that have also advertised for a new C.E.O. is the Samoa Qualifications Authority and the Samoa International Finance Authority. 

The C.E.O.s that occupied the positions have passed away. 

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 31 May 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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