REVENUE Minister Pauga Talalelei Pauga has threatened to revoke the Samoa Observer’s business licence.
The independent newspaper has drawn the ire of the minister and the Samoan government over its reporting of a number of issues including drugs and collection of funds by ministers.
“Listen here, Samoa Observer, stop writing irrelevant and false news,” Pauga said in Parliament.
“There are a lot of publications that I have recorded that are incorrect and biased.”
Pauga did not specify the articles he claimed were biased or incorrect t.
But he said that the ministry was looking at whether the company “should continue.’’
Mauga went on to say that the Ministry of Revenue would issue the cancellation of the business licence, with the Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo, signing it off.
Speaker of the House, Auapaau Aloitafua Mulipola, cut in and stopped Pauga, saying the Samoa Observer was not present in Parliament and could not respond to comments made in the chamber.
He told Pauga to refrain from continuing his remarks about the newspaper
Pauga’s threat was made as he spoke on business licences in his budget address.
“We issue licences, but there are businesses that are not abiding by the laws of the Ministry of Revenue,” Pauga said.
“For us to issue a licence, businesses need to comply with the laws for them to carry out their work.”
