Slow down before someone is killed, concerned resident warns

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 12 April 2018, 12:00AM

A resident of Taumeasina has raised the concerns of his village over the issue of excessive speed by drivers through their residential area.

 “It’s dangerous and it still hasn’t changed,” David Niumata told the Samoa Observer.

 Last year, another resident raised the same concerns. 

Mr. Niumata says he is disappointed that speed bumps or a speed limit sign has yet to be placed in the area.

 “It would cost the government less to put in speed bumps on the road than to lose a life,” he said. 

“I seriously think that it would take the death of someone before the authorities do something about this.”

Mr. Niumata points out that it is usually the traffic going to and from the Taumeasina Island Resort that drives at dangerous speed through their village.

He said some of the biggest culprits are diplomatic and Ministerial vehicles.

“Cars still continue to speed past. What is disappointing is that I see Diplomatic corp cars speeding through our village on their way to Taumeasina. 

“Same as the Minister’s cars and even the Police who are escorting the cars don’t care about the speed limit here.”

According to Mr. Niumata, drivers are forgetting that there are children in the village and that they need to be more thoughtful. 

He highlighted that at night time, drivers that he suspects are intoxicated are compounding the problem.

“People who come from outside and hold their meetings at the Resort need to know that this is a village. We have children walking to and from school in the mornings after school, it’s very dangerous for them. 

“The people here are too scared to have their children playing outside their house because they know the thoughtless drivers will speed by.”

“The other guys who are drunk and coming from the Resort – they come past so fast and they never care. They never think to look around and see that there are families that live here and we are too scared to be anywhere near the road in our own village. 

“Also the tourists that come through in their rentals don’t know that the speed limit here in 15km/hr. We need a sign or something.”

Legends Taumeasina Restaurant owner, Vanya Taule’alo also confirmed Mr. Niumata’s complaints saying that this is the norm on Taumeasina drive and that drivers need to slow down.

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 12 April 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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