APIA (Samoa Observer / Pacific Media Watch): Campbell Live executive producer Pip Keane has written to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi to tell him where the NZ$10,000 (T$17,000) is they raised to pay for Alesana Tuilagi’s mouthguard fine. Keane’s letter is in response to a statement from Tuilaepa where he questioned the whereabouts of the money.
Thanking Campbell Live presenter John Campbell for the sausage sizzle he organised to raise funds for the Manu Samoa, Tuilaepa said: “It was very kind of John. But it has been six weeks since his televised sausage barbecue and we are still waiting for those funds he raised to turn up here.
"I’m sure those funds will come with an audited report of who donated to his street barbecue."
Keane said the money was deposited into a Samoa Rugby Union account on 14 October 2011. Here is her letter in full and a response from Prime Minister Tuilaepa:
Dear Prime Minister,
Thank you for your media release. In it, you raised an issue about payment of the $10,000 Campbell Live raised at our sausage sizzle.We can confirm the $10,000 was paid into your nominated New Zealand bank account, on the 14th of October. (I have enclosed a copy of the the record of payment).
The account details were supplied to us on October 12, by Dennis Margraff, in an email Dennis also copied to Peter Schuster, yourself (as Prime Minister) and somebody called "Samoa Spare Parts".
The account name was: Samoa Rugby Union Expense Account- and it was a Westpac Queen St, (New Zealand) account.If you cannot trace the payment with this information, please do not hesitate to come back to me.
Best wishes,
Pip Keane
Executive Producer, Campbell Live
Prime Minister Tuilaepa’s response:
Thank you John for your good work. I have re-checked with the SRU and they do confirm that the funds were indeed received.
You do understand that this sort of communication breakdown happens in developing countries like Samoa just as they do in bigger, wealthier countries, re: the Chicago blackout for several days some years ago. Your contribution to our World Cup campaign will be duly noted when the full audit of funds are completed.
I will not insist on an audit of who contributed what to our sausage sizzle you oversaw that raised those funds.But what I do insist on, is that you let me know when you're in town so we can have a cup of hot Samoan cocoa and catch up.
Manuia tele,
Tuilaepa
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