Former Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa has responded to the newly tabled national budget by the FAST Government, noting that it closely aligns with the fiscal plan her cabinet proposed earlier this year.

The budget, presented on Monday by Minister of Finance Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo, was previously voted down by the faction of the FAST party now in government, along with the HRPP, which ultimately triggered the general election.

Fiame highlighted that the budget contains policies that have strengthened Samoa’s economic stability. Since FY2021/22, total public debt fell from $949.5 million tālā to $760.4 million tālā in FY2024/25, while debt as a percentage of GDP dropped from 41.0% to 21.2%. Six loans were fully repaid, including five external and one domestic loan.

The budget also raised the national minimum wage from $3.00 tālā to $4.84 sene over two years and boosted foreign reserves from $0.8 billion tālā to $1.6 billion tālā, increasing import cover from 10.9 to 15.2 months. Surpassing $1 billion in reserves in May 2023 marked a historic milestone, coinciding with Samoa’s 60th anniversary of independence.

Strong support for the tourism sector since FY2021/22 — through grants, concessional loans, and incentives — helped open new hotels such as Survivor Samoa Resort, Mulifanua Beach Resort, La’imoa Hotel, and the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel and Bungalows, while upgrading 57 eco-tourism, cultural, and historical sites.

Samoa Airways also saw a major turnaround: debts fell from $80 million tālā in June 2022 to $10 million tālā by June 2025, equity rose from negative $54 million tālā to positive $33 million tālā, and net profits for three years reached $87 million tālā, compared to net losses of $93 million tālā over the previous five years.

Employment grew steadily from 96,721 in FY2021/22 to 104,976 in FY2024/25, supported by 153 new jobs through District Council Offices, community skills programs, and small business and youth incubator initiatives.

Exports increased from $82.9 million tālā in FY2021/22 to $105.0 million tālā in FY2024/25, reflecting Samoa’s resilience in global trade and the positive impact of government-backed economic programs.

Former Finance Minister Lautimuia Uelese Va‘ai emphasized the significance of these policies, noting that they reflect careful planning, disciplined execution, and a commitment to Samoa’s long-term prosperity. “This budget is more than just numbers on a page, it is the very same budget I was looking forward to presenting to Parliament earlier this year. Its adoption now represents the continuation of sound, sustainable economic management that benefits all Samoans and underscores the importance of foresight, fiscal responsibility, and leadership that prioritizes the nation’s future,” he said.

Fiame looks forward to the parliamentary debate on this familiar document, confident that its proven policies will continue to drive Samoa’s growth and create opportunities for all citizens.

“What matters most is that the country remains on a stable economic path, ensuring prosperity and security for all citizens,” she said.

FA‘AALIGA ALAUFA‘I

Ua fa‘aaogaina e le Malo a le FAST ni vaega tāua o le Tala o le Tupe muamua

Tele vaega o le Tala o le Tupe na teena e le Palemene na mavae atu nei, o loo aofia i le Tala o le Tupe o le a talanoaina e le Palemene.
Ua faalauiloa le finagalo o le sa avea ma Palemia o Samoa ia Fiame Naomi Mataafa, e tusa ai o le ripoti o le Tala o le Tupe a le Atunuu , lea ua taatia nei I le Palemene e fai iai se finagalo o le Maota I se taimi ua le toe mamao.
Saunoa Fiame, e leai se eseesega o le Tala o le Tupe na faalauiloa I le Aso Gafua na sei mavae nei, ma le tala o le tupe lea na saunia e lana Kapeneta ao tu mai I le foe e taiataia le Malo.

O le tala o le tupe na tuuina mai i le Aso Gafua e le Minisita o Tupe Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo, o le ripoti lava lea na teena muamua e se vaega a le FAST lea na faatea ese, e aofia ai le HRPP, ma mafua ai loa ona toe faia le palota a le Atunuu. O le fesili aisea na teena ai, ae o lea ua toe tuuina mai?
Na saunoa Fiame, o le tala o le tupe lea ua tuuina mai, e tutusa mai le tala o le tupe na teena, ma o loo aofia ai faiga faavae na fesoasoani malosi e faamalosia ai le mautu o le tamaoaiga o Samoa.

Talu mai le tausaga faaletupe 2021/22, ua paʻu ai le aitalafu a le atunuu mai le $949.5 miliona tālā i le $760.4 miliona tālā i le tausaga faaletupe 2024/25, ae ua paʻu foi le pasene o le aitalafu i le GDP mai le 41.0% i le 21.2%. E ono nonogatupe ua totogi atoatoa – e lima mai fafo ma le tasi i totonu o le atunuu.

O le paketi foi na siitia ai le totogi maualalo na iai tagata faigaluega mai le $3.00 tālā i le $4.84 sene i totonu o le lua tausaga, ma faateleina ai tupe teu mai fafo mai le $0.8 piliona tālā i le $1.6 piliona tālā, ma siitia ai le malosi e ufiufi ai oloa mai fafo mai le 10.9 i le 15.2 masina. O le ausiaina o le silia ma le $1 piliona i tupe teu mai fafo ia Me 2023 o se laasaga maualuga , ua ogatasi ma le 60 tausaga o le tutoʻatasi o Samoa.

O le lagolago malosi i le vaega o turisi talu mai le FY2021/22 — e ala i fesoasoani, nonogatupe faafaigofie, ma faamanuiaga — ua mafai ai ona tatalaina nisi o faletalimalo fou e pei o le Survivor Samoa Resort, Mulifanua Beach Resort, Laʻimoa Hotel, ma le Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel and Bungalows, faatasi ai ma le toe faafouina o nofoaga e 57 e aofia ai nofoaga o turisi, aganuu, ma talaʻaga.

Ua vaaia foi se suiga lelei tele I le kamupani vaalele a le atunuu, Samoa Airways lea ua paʻu le aitalafu mai le $80 miliona tālā ia Iuni 2022 i le $10 miliona tālā ia Iuni 2025, ua siitia le vaega o tupe (equity) mai le -$54 miliona tālā i le $33 miliona tālā, ma ua maua ai le $87 miliona tālā i tupe maua mama i totonu o le tolu tausaga, faatusatusa i tupe leiloa e $93 miliona tālā i le lima tausaga ua mavae.

Ua faateleina pea galuega mai le 96,721 i le FY2021/22 i le 104,976 i le FY2024/25, e lagolagoina e galuega fou e 153 e ala i Ofisa o Itumalo, polokalame atinaʻe tomai a nuʻu, ma polokalame lagolago mo pisinisi laiti ma tupulaga talavou.

Ua siitia auina atu i fafo oloa mai le $82.9 miliona tālā i le FY2021/22 i le $105.0 miliona tālā i le FY2024/25, o se faamaoniga o le gafatia o Samoa i fefaatauaiga faavaomalo ma le aogā o polokalame faatamaoaiga a le malo.

Na faaalia e le sa avea ma Minisita o Tupe, Lautimuia Uelese Vaʻai, le tāua o nei faiga faavae, ma ia taʻua ai o loo atagia mai ai fuafuaga tatau sa faapea ona faatinoina e le Kapeneta na sei mavae nei, e pine I luga o fuafua tatauina o auala uma mo le manuia o le atunuu.
Saunoa Lautimuia, “O le tala o le tupe e le na o ni numera i luga o se pepa aua ae o le tala o le tupe ua tuuina mai o le ripoti lava lea e tasi na ia faamoemoe e tolaulau I luma o le Palemene na mavae nei ae peitai e lei faataunuuina lona talanoaina”.

O le tala o le tupe e pei ona fuafua e talanoaina e le palemene, o loo aofia ai fuafuaga mamao na faataoto e le Kapeneta tuai mo le manuia o le Atunuu, e aofia ai faiga faavae mo le pulea tatauina o le faasoaina o le tupe, faapea ma vaega taua e tatau ona ave iai le faamuamua a le Malo.
Saunoa Fiame o le vaega taua, o le amanaia lea o le tala o le tupe na teena nei, aua le manuia o tagata uma o le atunuu.

“O le mea sili ona tāua, ia tumau le atunuu i se tala o le tupe mautu, ina ia mautinoa ai le manuia o tagata uma o Samoa.”

Samoa Uniting Party Press Release