Riamoana Pasifika Limited, owned by Tulatoa Tracy Nelson- Sauvao has been contracted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as a Media Consultant.
This is despite, Minister Toesulusulu Cedric Schuster denying it saying the information is wrong.
“Check your sources before making such false accusations that are damaging to the organization that you work for” in response to an email for questions.
Radio Polynesia reached out to the Minister after receiving complaints from his staff about sole sourcing a contract with a newly established media consultancy company.
Furthermore, the Minister said he’s asked his staff and no one knows anything about the claims.
“I ask you to come to my office and point the finger at the person that lied and gave you the wrong information. They will be dealt with accordingly for leaking confidential information from the Minister’s office, while at the same time making false accusations” he said in an email to Radio Polynesia.
Today, Tulatoa confirmed an existing “short-term” contract with MNRE, in response to our questions.
A business owner in Australia, Tulatoa recently moved to Samoa.
“ I’m very excited to have started my Company. “The services that Riamoana offers are in marketing, freelance article writing, public relations, social media content writing, video production (a little later on) and ‘live’ business promotions to name a few of the services.”
Tulatoa started her journalism career around 1990 as a cadet journalist for the Samoa Observer. She received a scholarship from the John Crawford Scholarship Scheme and that afforded her the opportunity to attend the University of Canberra in Australia, where she received her BA in communication specialising in mass communications.
“From 1995-1998 I was the Advertising Supervisor for Televise Samoa Corporation before I left with my now husband of 25 years Mathew Sauvao.
I started Riamoan Pasifika in 2000 in Gladstone, Australia. A home-based business while bringing up our 6 children. At the time, Riamoana started as a wholesale food sole trader business, I was an agent for Ah Loki Wholesale.
Although I never stopped writing as I love this career, I continued to write as a freelance writer and have been published in newspapers like the SO and online Event Polynesia.
Now that my children are older, my husband and I have decided to come home and open up a Consultancy.”
Tulatoa did not address the concerns and complaints raised by the Government staff about her contract. “I do have a short-term contract with the Office of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
“This is to assist with communicating via social media and newspapers about the work that the Ministry is constantly and consistently doing for Samoa.”
According to the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour registry, the company was registered on 19 August, 2022 as an “information and communication- Computer programming, consultancy and related activities.”
It is unclear as to how much is the contract and how long it is, as these questions were not answered by Tulatoa and Minister Toesulusulu.
