The business community is keeping their distance over the weekend response by the Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, to objections by the Chamber of Commerce to the proposed Right Hand Drive policy. RHD will benefit the poor in the rural areas and also boost the development of the land, according to PM Tuilaepa in an exclusive interview with the Government owned Savali newspaper. He also denied as misleading concerns by car rental companies of financial losses and the implied setbacks to the tourism industry.
The PM does not agree the road switch will result in a big loss in foreign exchange, and if there are any accidents from the change over to the left hand side of the road, it will be from ‘ drunk and irresponsible driving,’ and ‘sleeping on the wheel.’ He said the new policy will be approved by Cabinet this week and with the blessings of his Human Rights Protection Party, it will be a ‘fait accompli’ when it gets into Parliament.

The Chamber of Commerce however have decided to refrain from responding directly to the points raised by the Prime Minister. “We are a non political organisation, and we respond to policy issues rather than political statements,” Chamber of Commer President Klaus Jnr. told Newsline on Monday, when asked for a reaction
“The PM’s response was political. If there was a cost benefit analysis to substantiate what he said, then that is something we can comment on,” Klaus felt. “Our submission simply states the impact of this new policy on our members, and we would welcome any cost benefit analysis report by Government. “ If they have something that they thing will work we will support it, we are willing to sit down together to see how we can make sure that the costs will not outweigh the benefits from this policy.’ Klaus Jnr. added that they are again calling on the Government to make available to them any report or analysis, so they can study it and make recommendations where possible. The Chamber of Commerce submission to Government, warned that the RHD policy will cost Samoa’s economy more than $750 million. Approval will also impact severely across a wide cross section of the population, with those in the vehicle related industry rated in the critical list of the ones most likely to suffer most.” “The submission we made to Government was on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, as the national body representing all the various business sectors. “These separate bodies like those in the rental and car dealers sectors will be making their own separate submissions to Government to object to the policy.”

capt ; President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Klaus Junior

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