The Government has yet to decide on what will be given as assistance to the families and businesses that were affected by the flash floods in Savai'i last Thursday. 

In a brief response to questions from this newspaper on Wednesday outside of Parliament, the Minister for Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.), Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster said the ministry was tasked to conduct an inspection of all those affected by the floods. 

They will compile a report and present it to the Cabinet for deliberation. 

However, Toeolesulusulu did not confirm whether the report is ready to be deliberated by Cabinet on Wednesday afternoon. 

This newspaper understands that the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture (M.E.S.C.) asked if Amoa College situated within the village of Saipipi be closed for three days. 

This was done so the school committee and teachers can clean up the school compound and the classrooms that were affected by the floods. 

The students were in the middle of finishing their mid-term examinations when the flash floods happened last week. 

The Principal of Amoa College, Sa'u Talagafa Itamua on Wednesday morning notified all the parents that classes will resume on Thursday. 

They were advised to bring drinking water bottles to school as the water supply to the school has not been reconnected. 

When Parliament resumed its businesses on Tuesday, members of parliament from Fa'asaleleaga appealed to the government to provide assistance for all the families that were affected by the floods and to prioritise infrastructure projects in Savai'i. 

This newspaper also reported earlier on how the beach fales in Lano were affected by the floods. The manager of Lauiula Beach Fales, I'iga Salanoa Ah Chong called on the government for assistance. 

The management of Lauiula Beach Fales and senior auditor, Su'a Rimoni Ah Chong confirmed that they have been asking the government to remove the "shortened" bridge that was built by the former administration which "introduced the destructive flood risk" in Lano. 

Su'a claimed that this has been happening since the bridge was built. 

"The sad thing about this is, the previous government did not lift a finger to help financially or otherwise despite their former workers and environment Ministers and their advisers visiting and seeing for themselves the extent of the destruction that the flooding wreaked in the past, and explaining to them the root cause of the problem," Su'a said. 

"It would be helpful to get the attention of the current government on this as it is a very serious and continuous risk that needs to be overcome by removing the faulty bridge that was built and restoring the natural width of the river then building a wider bridge that does not hinder the free flow of the waters to the sea at times of very heavy rain like what has happened once again last week, and also restore the ability of the ecosystem to return to its natural place as before.

"We have had many meetings since 2007 with the former PM and some of his Environment and Works Ministers in past on this including discussions with the Minister of works and his entourage when they visited and surveyed the destruction that the last flood in April 2016 brought and was explained again the reason for the flooding disaster that was totally avoidable if only they can remove the existing bridge and build one that is in line with the rivers natural width.  

"Nothing was done nor was any government assistance to help us rebuild and repair the damage that the Government was and is responsible for."

Su'a also provided copies of letters from the village of Lano to the former Minister of M.W.T.I. asking for assistance in constructing better roads and bridges for Lano since 2007.