Hearing about ordinary citizens in Samoa not having access to a proper water supply system or paying thousands of tala for water to be carted to their homes for many years is unbelievable.

And the fact that these citizens live in homes that are a stone's throw away from the seat of Samoa’s Government in Apia, where successive administrations from the same political party have come and gone through the various terms of the Legislative Assembly also makes it mindblowing.

It is a relief that finally the plight of families in Aleisa, who have suffered for many years despite being located just 13-14 km from the seat of government in Apia, was brought to the attention of the Parliament last week. We say this as the Aleisa area has been the subject of many stories published in the Samoa Observer’s Village Voice column since 2016, where families have literally been struggling and in desperate need of basic services, such as a reliable and safe water supply system. 

An article (M.P. appeals to fix Aleisa’s water woes) in yesterday’s edition of the Samoa Observer reported on the appeal by the Sagaga No. 3 M.P. Salā Fata Pinati to the House last week for the Government to set up a proper water supply system for Aleisa residents.

According to the Member of Parliament, he continues to be blamed by residents for failing in his duties as their elected representative to get a proper water supply system installed for the area.

"Some even say I am useless and that they should not have voted for me," said Salā. "They don't know that I have been pushing for the issue for quite some time, even when I was a Cabinet Minister. 

"Unfortunately, there were other priorities areas the government is focused on, and the unavailability of funds to cater to all the projects. However, I plead with the Government to please help our people residing in these areas so they can have access to a clean water supply.”

Salā then gave details of the cost of water carts at $100 per tank and how it could spiral to $1000 a month if a family paid $300 for three water tanks in one week. He said the costs have become an added burden for families post-COVID-19, especially with rising inflation adding to the cost of living.

We appreciate the honesty shown by the Sagaga No. 3 M.P. on the floor of Parliament last week when he admitted that the former Human Rights Protection Party administration had “other priority areas” that it focused on. The Sagaga No. 3 M.P. also blamed funding unavailability at that time, which would have enabled the former H.R.P.P. administration to address the issue. 

Sad to say, we don’t buy the argument by Salā, that there was no funding available to install a proper water supply system for residents of Aleisa. He was the former tourism minister in the H.R.P.P. administration and his membership of the cabinet at that time put him in the box seat to push for development in his constituency.

What we think happened to Aleisa residents and their appeal for help is it became “out of sight out of mind” for the former administration. They simply forgot and couldn’t care less, especially when you consider the fact that Salā has been the local M.P. for close to two decades.

As an Aleisa resident and current Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele is within his rights to highlight the failures of the former administration 

"So I agree with what the M.P. has spoken about as I see it every day. However, the question is, what did the former administration do about it? Nothing was done,” he told the Parliament.

"But rest assured that I have already presented the cry from the people of Aleisa for water supply to Cabinet. I've also asked the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure to help the families there in Aleisa so don't you worry, our prayers will be answered soon, hopefully, sometime before the end of this year."

It is good to know that the water woes of the Aleisa community have been brought to the attention of the Government, according to Valasi, so the authorities should begin work in earnest to install a proper water supply system for the residents.

Having covered the various infrastructure projects that were rolled out during the tenure of the former H.R.P.P. and now the current Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) administrations, the story of the Aleisa residents and the failure of the government at that time to respond to their pleas should serve as a reminder to the country’s political leadership of their mandate and their responsibility to prioritise the needs of the people.