IMPORTED MEAT TARIFF DUTY ON THE RISE
Photo By: Parliament of Samoa
The Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries Laauliolemalietoa Polataivao Schmidt has slammed the Member of the Opposition Party Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo telling him to "farm his own meat" when the Member from Aana No.2 brought up the rising charges of imported goods in Samoa.
Following a new bill that was tabled during the Parliament sitting on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio briefed on its clarifications and conditions. This regarding the cost of tariff duties and now newly excise taxes added on imported goods especially animal frozen meat to rise.
In close observation , the high rate of (N.C.D) non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes within Samoa is the cause of the new adjustments to the prices according to Deputy Prime Minister Ponifsasio. One of the petit aspects of this bill is to decrease the tariff costs of imported fruits and vegetables. This also includes other goods such as technology and computer gadgets for the development of Samoan business both big and small.
One of the goods that was thrown around the floor on Tuesday ,in a heated debate, was the pricing for lamb shag, lamb rack and loins. The Opposition Party member Anoama'a 2 MP Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre pointed out suggestions on the tariff rates for the importing of lamb parts into the country. He proposed that there should be a distinction between the tariff rates for the different types of meat parts and that it shouldn't be identical.
He then went on and stated that these were the types of goods that the average level families in Samoa could only afford and that there should be some sort of adjustments made to it. According to Fonotoe who read out the new rates, a 20% increase in duties with 15% for tariff duty and additional 5% added for excise tax.
"The prices are already high and now with the duty cost rising it has heavily made the cost of living even more expensive" says Lauofo in Tuesday's sitting.
He also added the danger of decreasing the cost of bringing technological devices into Samoa whereby the young generation will be impacted by it and may lead to the misuse of technology for other reasons in lieu of educational purposes.
The Ministry of Agricultural & Fisheries Laauliolemalietoa fired back with exhortation towards the Opposition Party and clarified that the bill is to propose an idea of Samoa to stop relying on imported goods from abroad. The Minister then went on and suggested that if the desire to consume lamb or any other meat is on the rise , then people should start farming and raise their own animal farms.
He highlighted that the main purpose of the bill is to not only inform people that the cost of living is on the rise but the goal to decrease non-communicable diseases in Samoa. The Minister of Health- Valasi Tafito Selesele seconded the motion by Laauli and spoke on the rising number of patients who are currently admitted to the National Health Dialysis in Motootua Hospital.
Fonotoe on the other hand stated otherwise and rebutted saying the prices should drop due to the cost of living in Samoa. He then added that there should be educational outreach programmes given to the country on awareness of their consumption of these types of goods, especially meat fat.
La'auli then fired back saying that the reasoning to actually grow and farm your own food is much cheaper and more organically healthy for the country. He compared the differences in meat fat to lambs from overseas which are slightly fattier than lamb meat here in Samoa.
Parliament continued to convene later on Tuesday with more bills and topics being tabled for discussion. This is the last Parliamentary sitting of 2022 and will wrap up this month.