Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa The editor in chief of the Samoa Observer has apologised for his paper referring to the late Jeanine Tuivaiki as a man, in a front page story and in his subsequent apology. In a brief interview with GayNZ.com Daily News this morning the situation came about when the paper's Sunday edition published a front page picture of transwoman Jeanine Tuivaiki shortly after she had died, an apparent suicide. An accompanying article repeatedly referred to her as a man. In yesterday's written apology Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa claimed the picture was printed to illustrate divisions in the country's Christian communities arising from debate as to whether Islamic religions should be allowed in Samoa and again referred to Tuivaiki as a man. Speaking with GayNZ.com Daily News this morning, a clearly tired and exasperated Savea Sano Malifa said the apology that went out yesterday under his name, and in which he referred to Tuivaiki as a man, was not written by him. “I did not write that... it came in and I thought the best thing to do is put my name there. I don't know, the story came to me.... what else I can't say.” "I am the chief editor but things get past me without my knowledge, this [original] story was not written by me and I apologise because I am the editor in chief. And I have to take responsibility for things that are done that are not right and for which I apologise. I have apologised for the entire Samoa Observer organisation, all the staff reporters and everybody. Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa says he has received angry reaction to printing the photograph from all over the world, including from his extended family.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 21st June 2016 - 8:58am