The Samoa Victim Support Group is moving forward with a lawsuit against police, to settle a dispute over the use of their building.
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S.V.S.G. staff member Tauiliili Sam Fruean told the Sunday Samoan the building used to be mainly used by police, with S.V.S.G. only operating in a small part.
Cyclone Evan damaged the building and S.V.S.G. moved across the street.
When police wanted to pull down what is currently S.V.S.G’s main office, the organisation got the opportunity to renovate it.
They brought in an engineer, paid for largely by the Japanese embassy, and started renovations.
“While this went on...the only problem we had was police sometimes tried to stop the work,” Tauiliili said.
The group finished renovations in March, this year.
“That’s when we were told to have the upper level [of the two-storey building] for the police.
“For us, when police moved in, it was hard for us, but we decided to go along with what the government has ordered.”
Tauililili said that left S.V.S.G. with the bottom storey of their current main office building, as well as their office across the street.
They have been informed the building across the street will be pulled down.
Tauiliili said the top storey was needed, so the organisation could meet demand for their services.
“We want the space back.
“We cannot fit our operations down here anymore.”
He said it was upsetting to have the police claiming part of the building.
“That’s what makes us really frustrated, not only us, but our supporters as well.”
Funding from the Japanese embassy, which made the building renovations possible, had conditions too, and having police in the building did not suit that criteria, he said.
Tauiliili said the organisation’s hand was being forced, and at a meeting in September the board agreed to proceed with legal action.
“They’re in the process of putting together all the required documents.”
That work was likely to be done in time for S.V.S.G’s November board meeting, after which a lawyer would contact the police to inform them of the lawsuit. “It doesn’t suit for us to be in the same building as the police.
“There are victims that come in that don’t want the police to know they’re coming here.”
S.V.S.G. staff sometimes even resorted to looking at the top storey before they brought victims into the building, to make sure some members of the police would not see them.
Further complicating the dispute, Tauilili said police and S.V.S.G. could not reach an agreement over who was responsible for the building.
An attempt to write up an agreement stating who was responsible for the building failed.
Tauiliili disputed claims S.V.S.G’s current building belonged to the police, saying it was leased off the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
He was not sure how police would respond to the legal action.
“Honestly I don’t know, but I think there are a lot of factors they have to consider.
“Us taking the police to court is not just the police, it’s the whole government.”
Attempts by the Sunday Samoan to reach police for comment were unsuccessful.
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