It’s official. More than 700 employees of the country’s biggest employer in the private sector will soon find themselves without jobs following the announcement that Yazaki Eds Samoa is set to be officially shut by the end of 2017. Y.E.S. Branding Division Manager in Japan, Yoko Yamada, said the closure is due to the car manufacturing industry in Australia winding down. What are your thoughts? What do you think Samoa should do? Ilia L. Likou asked in today’s Street Talk and this is what people said:

Amosa Polima, 33, Mulifanua.

This is a really sad news for our country especially the employees at Yazaki Samoa. Many families are relying on these employees for financial support but it looks like there’s no hope for many of them now. The only hope is for the government to step in and help. Maybe they should cut down their million tala salaries to help many of the employees and their poor families.

Taisi Ioane, 30, Aele

What a sad time for Samoa. Many of the hardworking employees at Yazaki Samoa live away from their villages simply to earn a living for their families for many years. Now, they’re going to lose their jobs by the end of this year or the beginning of 2017. How are they going to survive? The government leadership should stop hiding their faces but do something to help these families. People are struggling every day.

Peteru Saumaseava, 52, Fasito’o-Uta

When I heard the news this morning, I became very concerned for the future of Samoa. This isn’t a good sign for the government after the General Election this year. The government should step in at this time and look for job opportunities for Yazaki employees. The rate of unemployment in Samoa is already high. I wonder what tomorrow will bring. God help us.

Mao Lesao, 42, Lotopa

I think the government should come up with a package to help these families. They should pay more attention to creating employment opportunities for these people to take up. This is a step backwards for Samoa.

Folasaitu Leussogi, 53, Fasito’o-Uta

Life is hard enough these days because of the high cost of living. The closure of Yazaki Samoa will add to the high rate of unemployment in Samoa. I’m not too sure about the kind of future that many of our children will have tomorrow. The best thing that these employees can do is to look for other jobs as soon as possible. Don’t wait for the government. They’ve obviously proven they cannot do anything.