The Chairman of the Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party, has graciously advised the Samoa Observer newspaper to consider the noble art of balanced reporting in a display of concern for journalistic integrity.

In a recent interview with BluTv, based in New Zealand, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt boldly voiced his dissatisfaction with what he perceives as defamatory reports from the Samoa Observer. 

He made the remarks when his opinion was sought on the ongoing legal saga between Leauva'a and Afega and a possible solution for the case. 

The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries then pointed out the former administration's passage of the three controversial "packages of legislation" as a stumbling block in resolving the issue.

That was when La'auli turned his critical gaze towards the Opposition Leader, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi. 

He referred to Letters to the Editor, penned by the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) leader, and published by this newspaper on how to solve the legal saga. 

According to La'auli, it's simply preposterous for someone no longer in power to have an opinion.

"He (Tuilaepa) needs to be reminded that he is no longer the Prime Minister," he said. 

"He needs to remember that we are now leading the government and that Fiame (Naomi Mata'afa) is now the Prime Minister. He needs to know his place. 

"He should not be telling the government what to do. Tuilaepa needs to be cautious of what he says as he was found guilty by the court and therefore should not be considered a citizen...or a member of parliament sitting inside parliament.

"His defamatory remarks toward the government have pushed the cup to overflow.

"It appears as though he considers himself the sole owner of the Samoa Observer newspaper, behaving as if he was very dear to the paper. 

"In the past, he would disparage the writers at the Observer, deriding them as inexperienced, unintelligent, and incompetent reporters. And yet, what do we see now?

"He consistently submits letters to the paper, and miraculously, they are promptly published on the same day."

He then wielded the axe at the Samoa Observer newspaper, alleging that they've exclusively penned negative stories concerning the government.

"As I've mentioned before, during Savea Sano Malifa's (Editor-in-Chief) time, the newspaper maintained integrity and a positive reputation.

"However, presently, there's a noticeable absence of any positive government coverage. It's such a shame because for more than four decades, Savea tirelessly advocated for governmental change through his writings...over 40 years. 

"But as it stands, it appears that there are fresh faces at the helm of the newspaper, and they seem oblivious to boundaries, consistently writing defamatory articles.

"They don't care about the repercussions of their stories, neglecting to consider the impact on the rights of those involved and how it destroys the reputations of the people they write about. 

"It's as if they couldn't care less. My advice to the people working for the Observer is that the paper will always belong to its rightful owners. Be careful of what you do because you will not stay there forever.

"You are playing with a very dangerous tool. You are stepping on too many toes."

He then challenged the Samoa Observer's editorial board to unveil the identities of their anonymous writers and advised the publication to have balanced articles. 

"Don't cross the boundaries you are not supposed to cross. You have to be mindful of the reputation of the people you write about. 

"There's no total freedom of expression. There's always a boundary you don't go beyond."

He did not stop there. He expressed concern for the integrity and reputation of the Samoa Observer. 

According to him, the paper's credibility has been tarnished by the audacious act of hiring foreigners as editors, claiming that only true Samoans can write about Samoa.

"If you truly possess courage, stand by your opinions with your name boldly attached. Don't shield yourself behind the anonymity of a newspaper or keyboard.

"This challenge extends to all media professionals in the nation. If you believe you're courageous, disclose your identity or create your media platform instead of leveraging someone else's efforts to cast aspersions on others."