The residents of Aele have appealed to the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party to expand the amount land for people to work on, during its Sagaga No. 1 roadshow on Saturday. 

Aele Methodist Church played host to hundreds of villagers from Aele, Faleula, Nu’u, Solomona Fou, and Tafaigata who filled the church hall to listen to the party’s agenda.

Aele resident, Leavasa Auapaau said the families of Aele had to approach former Head of State, the late Malietoa Tanumafili II to get state-owned land for families of Aele many years ago. 

“At the time, those lands were coconut and cocoa plantations,” he said. 

“But recently we had to approach the Government again because [back then] it was only $6 to register the land, but now, it costs more than a thousand and so our village pleaded to them that it is too expensive, we cannot afford it.

“And as you said, we are a village without freehold land. That’s why the Government also had to give us land for our school, because we have no lands to fall back on. 

“So we are requesting that if you win at the election; here at Aele Fou, we have nothing to fall back on.” 

An elderly mother from Aele, Eleele Paulo thanked F.A.S.T. for their vision to return unused lands under the Government back to the villages for development purposes. 

“Our families have grown and maybe by the time we have grown old, the number will have doubled. There are many of us, and the lands have become [too] small,” she said. 

“I humbly ask that our village is in dire need of lands. There are so many of us but very little land to work on nowadays.” 

Meanwhile, Tafaigata and Faleula residents voiced their concerns for better roads and better pay for teachers in the Early Childhood Education sector.

Emili Tiatia Fruean from Faleula claims that for 15 years she worked as a teacher at a preschool.

“I had been a teacher for so long and yet the Government had never paid my wages; and as time went on, it stopped being funny,” said Ms. Fruean. 

“So now, it has been two years since I have not gone back to work, I am no longer a teacher. But prior to this, there [were] at least five letters stating we will be paid by the Government. Maybe I will die before a payment comes through. 

“But now that you have come through, as angels, I believe you will be paying pre-school teachers of Samoa. This is my appeal to your party if you stand in [the] election. If there were ten [votes], I would give you all ten of my votes for F.A.S.T.” 

The F.A.S.T. party wrapped up their eighteenth roadshow on Saturday at Aele, before they make their way to Savaii for two weeks, starting Tuesday.

The support from the people of Sagaga No.1 was evident in the welcome they gave the Members of F.A.S.T. making their way to the venue despite the rain. 

Village men, shirtless, lined the roads, with another two men dancing as they escorted the motorcade to the venue.

Fiame Naomi Mataafa said she thought the welcome was for Queen Elizabeth. 

During the roadshow, F.A.S.T. candidate for Sagaga No.1, Papalii Moala Tavita said he was impressed with the attendance as he thanked the constituency for their support. 

He said that should he win the seat of Sagaga No. 1 in the upcoming general election, the unused lands near Aele will be allocated for use by the villagers. 

“The leader of FAST has spoken, if there are unused government lands, it should be returned. You interpret it, and as the leader has said, there is a way to make it happen,” said Papalii. 

“Secondly, I know what is it like to be poor, it was only my father’s fishing that fed us. And if you give us your trust, I want to establish a trust fund of the constituency to help the less fortunate families, for when one is sick or for education and such. 

“If I am to be elected, I will put in money, and I am not saying this for your vote, but it is from a genuine place. It will not be below $50,000 what I put into it if I win the election to start off our trust fund and then we can all work together.”