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PM claims there's racism in citizenship investment debate

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, has again accused the leader of the Opposition of being racist. “That is not love,” he said to Palusalue, “that is what you call racist.”Tuilaepa made the allegation in Parliament on Friday, during the third day of the second reading of the Citizenship Investment Bill 2014. The Bill proposes to allow foreign investors with four million tala to spend in Samoa to become citizens.When Palusalue cautioned about the ramifications of the bill in relation to Asians taking over all the local businesses, Tuilaepa became unhappy.“You never hear any complaints about British people, New Zealanders and Australians,” he said. “The only complaint is about Chinese.”Tuilaepa said the attitude is not new. He said the same attitude is obvious when people from the Solomon Islands are classifieds as black people.“I hear this a lot in Parliament,” Tuilaepa said.“And like what the other member said, although it was a Korean or Japanese, they say Chinese…isn’t that racism?”Earlier, Palusalue said that from Vailele to Falefa, Asians appear to be running all the shops while the locally owned stores are closed.“I’m speaking about what is happening now,” insisted Palusalue.But Tuilaepa would not have any of it.“I don’t see any Chinese at Moata’a,” Tuilaepa interjected. “There is a shop run by Samoan.The next shop is Vaimili’s and he’s Samoan, not Chinese.“Mr. Speaker, whenever Chinese are mentioned, they get angry. They don’t have clean hearts.”Palusalue disagreed. “A point of correction Mr. Speaker,” he said. (The shop at Vailele) is run by a Chinese but it is Sala (Vailimi’s) house.Tuilaepa fired back.“That is none of your business how Sala does his business,” he said.“You are lucky that you are against the bill (Citizenship Investment) yet your children are schooling in Australia.”“The government is looking for ways to help those children of Samoa that do not have that kind of opportunity.”Palusalue did not appreciate his children being continuously dragged by the Prime Minister into the debate so he countered. “It is my children’s rights that they are in Australia,” he responded.“The other one is working and helping out with C.S.L (Computer Services Limited). Stop mentioning others children but think about your children.” But Tuilaepa would not back down.“Going on scholarships doesn’t mean they are given special benefits,” Tuilaepa said. “If it wasn’t for scholarships from the government, they wouldn’t have that opportunity. You are so lucky that you have enough money to send your children to Australia for schooling.”Earlier, M.P., Maualaivao Pat Ah Him had spoken about the Citizenship Investment Bill 2014. He told Parliament that the government should look again at the opportunities given to investors who will be granted citizenships under the law. “This should be closely monitored because they might takeover small businesses such as dairies or shops and taxis,” said Maualaivao. “I believe there is part of the legislation that minimises the impact on small businesses,” he said.“I look around in Apia heading to rural areas there are big businesses that can potentially move to rural villages affecting small shops run by families to serve the villages.”Maualaivao added: “We do not want anything happening in the future where those businesses takeover those family businesses that cannot compete with them.” But Tuilaepa was not happy with the word “takeover” being used.