Ads by Google Ads by Google

In Manu’a police boat used to transport pig not people

The use of the police boat to transport a pig from Ta’u to Ofu left Manu’a residents furious as they were complaining that police officers refused to carry passengers to and from Ta’u and Ofu, yet the officers used the police boat to transport a pig.

 

Samoa News understands that the pig was for a luncheon for one of the government’s federal guests that was in Manu’a last week to conduct site visits of ongoing Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs).

 

According to a Manu’a resident who contacted Samoa News, the police boat was utilized by a police officer and two Department of Public Works employees to pick up a pig from Ta’u and transport it back to Ofu, Manu’a, yet there were people at the wharf trying to go to Ofu.

 

Commissioner of Public Safety William Haleck, said the marine patrol police boat has been in Manu’a since last month, however he’s not aware of a request from Manu’a police to use the police boat to transport a pig for a luncheon. However, he noted that it’s up to the police officer’s judgment call on certain issues such as this, and he added, “There must be an explanation as to why the police boat was used; maybe it was an instruction from the governor’s office.”

 

Asked about the complaints from the Manu’a people, the police commissioner said that he and Captain Tulele Laolagi should have been informed by the police regarding use of the boat for anything aside from daily routines.

 

To be used to transport people to and from Ofu, the boat is stationed in Ofu, and Haleck again noted that he needs to be informed prior to anything aside from the allocation and duties of the police boat, which is meant for emergency cases.

 

In the meantime, the Commissioner said the boat is being utilized by the Manu’a police but it has not been christened yet, as they are waiting for the material to build floating docks in Manu’a to officially launch the police boat there.

 

He said there are three police officers who have been trained to use the boat in times of emergency, and they are stationed in Manu’a.

 

In March of this year, Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who was Acting Governor at the time, said in an interview with Samoa News, that the new boat for Manu’a, the Segaula, was to be used to travel between the Manu’a islands.   He also said the Administration wanted to set up a Marine Patrol Division in Manu’a in case of an incident — they would be on standby.