Family appeals to P.M. Tuilaepa for help

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 02 September 2017, 12:00AM

The Mikaele family is appealing to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi for help. 

The family has been living without water for as long as they can remember. This is according to Pi’ilua Mikaele, of Leulumoega. 

The Village Voice caught up with the 40-year-old as she was selling produce in a market located right in front of the house. 

The mother of five was excited to talk to the Village Voice pointing out the importance of the Village Voice and how she has been wanting to voice her concerns about the lack of government water in the area they reside in. 

“My father is now 78 years old and to date, our family has not had any luck with getting connection to government water. 

“Can you believe that it’s been 78 years and yet we are still struggling and waiting? 

“I am now a mother of five and I have lost hope in waiting for the government to lend a hand. Our family….and like any family depends on water for everything. 

“We have signed up a petition with other families in our area appealing to the Samoa Water Authority to consider water connection, and that was two years ago,” said Pi’ilua. 

According to the frustrated mother their family spends $130 every time they fill up their water tank. 

“We cannot depend on the rain, because we all know that sometimes it doesn’t rain for months and so we have to fork up the money to fill our tank. 

“Look at us, we are barely making ends meet, we survive off the land and some money we collect from the produce I am selling next to the road.” 

Pi’ilua found it ironic that there is water in the inner village and Falese’ela and Tanugamalala and not Leulumoega. 

“We’re located in the centre and yet other families in our village have stable water as well as Falese’ela and Tanugamalala how crazy is that,” she said. 

Regarding their water tank, Pi’ilua said their family was blessed to be a recipient of a water tank from the Red Cross. 

“But if only it rained all the time I wouldn’t be complaining. We’re now in 2017 and still we don’t have access to water…. so what does that say about the development in Samoa?”

The mother told the Village Voice that she does not want her children to go through what they are going through. 

“I want to give a direct message to the Prime Minister, to please consider connecting the water in our area. I know you have other important things on your plate, but I…our family need your help, Prime Minister. We have not had any stable water since my father was born and while I can endure fetching water, I just don’t want my children to go through the same situation.”

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 02 September 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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