The government is so desperate to make use of a “poorly planned” and “badly placed” $5.7million infrastructure it has already allowed it to be used as a bingo and pool table hall.
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The infrastructure in question is the Vaitele market, one of the two multi-million-tala developments built by the Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C) under the guidance of its former Minister, Faumuina Tiatia Liuga.
At the opening of the market constructed by Maota Builders and Schwartz Hunt, Faumuina cut the golden ribbon saying “gold best describes this new market” as it would be a “goldmine for this country.”
The market has been anything but a goldmine. The place is empty most days except for a section of it where several pool tables are lined.
On Saturdays, it is packed by women and children who attend the bingo games held there.
The man who has been forced to clean up after Faumuina is the Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Selafi Purcell, who told the Samoa Observer this week that the Vaitele Market was badly placed and was not strategically planned.
“It’s badly placed for our people,” he said.
“With us, we always look at the most convenient way to live. For example, we want to just hop out of the bus, do the shopping and then back on the bus and go home.
“In saying that, the market, has been not strategically planned.”
Asked about the place being used as a pool table and bingo venue, Lautafi said the idea is for the S.L.C to make money from it.
“The pool tables at the market are individually owned and they are like other (businesses and farmers) who sell taro and other stuff at the market.
“I think its costs ten tala per day for each pool table and they’re all part of S.L.C.’s efforts to utilise the space and to make money from it.”
Lautafi accepts that turning the place into a bingo venue and a place for pool tables is not ideal. However, he reiterated that in the absence of vendors and farmers who are interested in utilising the space, it’s the best plan for now.
“The market is badly positioned but we have to live with that,” he said. “We have to try and make money out of the building because it was not strategically planned.”
The pool tables and the bingo are all part of an effort to draw people to the market.
Of multiple slots available on the second floor, only one room was used by the Samoa Water Authority.
That was before S.L.C relocated from their $4.2million headquarters at Tuana’imato to the top floor.
Opened a few years ago, the $5.7 million market, includes an expansive crops hall, a fish market that’s never been used as well as several shops that are empty.
The report of the Controller and Chief Auditor, Fuimaono Camillo Afele to the Legislative Assembly showed that S.L.C. fell $11million short of its revenue forecasts for the 2009-2010 Financial Year.
The report also highlighted that the Corporation overspent by $2.4 million, and paid $2.8 million to a “middle man” based in New Zealand.
“The Corporation did not achieve its budgeted revenue,” says Fuimaono’s report. “Actual revenue was $11 million short of the budgeted revenue for the year. The Corporation overcommitted to other projects which it could not fund.”
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