The Manager of the E.F.K.S Museum, Tuigamala Opetaia Liu, is not a happy man.
He is saddened by what he describes as a deliberate attempt by “cowards” to vandalise the Museum’s sign at Malua.
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As of yesterday, the sign has been vandalised thrice.
When it first happened on 27 April 2015, the Police were informed. A student from Leulumoega Fou College witnessed the incident.
“The student saw what happened, a yellow van crashed into the sign and damaged the sign,” he said.
“We reported the matter to the Police and we even told them the plate number of the yellow van. They told us to give them twenty one days so that they can carry out an investigation.”
Tuigamala said the Museum has yet to hear from the Police.
On 12 August 2015, Tuigamala said they found that someone had inflicted more damage to the sign.
“This matter had been reported to the Police twice and we are still waiting for a response,” he said. “We didn’t want to fix it right away because we were still waiting for a report from the Police.
“But up until now, we still haven’t got any report from the Police. It’s not just the sign on the side of the road that had been damaged.
Other signs inside the compound have been destroyed as well.”
Tuigamala’s main concern is that the sign and other properties belong to church members.
“The money that was used on these signs are all from the church. I am worried that the leaders of the Church might think that I am being careless and not looking after the Museum very well.
“The truth is, I look after these properties like they’re my own. I care for it so much because I know that our church people are paying for it.
“As a Manager, I know that it is my responsibility to look after and take care of all of these properties. So when things like this happen, it really hurts me on the inside.
“That is why I wanted to immediately went to the Police for help because I know that if we are able to identify the people who are responsible for this wicked behaviour, we will also be able to put a stop to it and have them pay for the damages they’ve caused.”
According to Tuigamala, the Sign was put up in November 2013 and it cost $2,100. The car park signs which have also been damaged cost $2,400 and the direction indicators inside the compound cost $300. They have also been destroyed.
“I’m very disappointed at the people who are responsible for these vandalism acts. They are not scared of God and law. They are not only breaking the law but they are also destroying the properties that belong to the Church.”
Tuigamala said that they would continue on going to the Police until they find out who is responsible.
“We don’t want to build a new one while we’re still not sure who was responsible for destroying this one,” he said.
“This is because if we have a new sign, our church will have to pay for it again and I don’t want the same people to come and destroy it again. We have to find the people behind this so that we can put a stop to it.”
The Manager of the E.F.K.S Museum asks members of the public, especially people living closer to the Museum, to help them find who is behind all of this.
“We are trying our very best to improve our services and move up to the next level, but this kind of action makes it really hard for us to move forward.”
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