Town lights dead for weeks

Concerns have been raised over the failure of town lights stretching from Matautu towards the rear of the government building.

Some are saying that these lights have been off for weeks and are questioning if they will ever be fixed.

“What’s the use of having town lights when they are always off during night time?” asked Latai Toa.

“They are just there like idle statues, just to make the town look fancy when they are not even working.”

Town lights should be one of things that government should look at prioritising, she said.

“Tourists and families love to come to the seawall for fresh air but how will they be able to do that when the place is too dark?” asked Ms. Toa “I’m even afraid to walk by myself behind the government building at night time because all these lights are not working.”

Eva Blömeke, a visitor from Germany spending her holidays in Samoa, shared the same sentiments.

“I was surprised that the town lights here in Samoa did not work,” said Ms. Blömeke.

“Not even that, no one is doing anything about it at all because it’s been the same ever since I got here”, she said.

Ms. Blömeke says that she has been here for weeks now and the town is one of her favourite places to visit with friends. However she said that she feels unsafe.

“For me, it’s very dangerous and I feel unsecure going out to the seawall because it’s usually dark,” she said.

“Samoa is a very nice place but there are still some things that need improving.”

“Maybe starting with the lights in town would be a good idea,” she commented.

One town worker, John Vai, said he has witnessed recent construction work in town.

“The lights should be fixed by now”, he said.

“Why is the procedure taking so long?” Mr. Vai said that the failure of the town lights were caused by recent construction work on pipes that were dug up and taken to Sogi causing the wires to snap.

The General Manager of the Electric Power Corporation (E.P.C), Tologata Tile Leia confirmed that this was the cause of the problem.

However he said this has already been dealt with.

“It is true and the wires have already been repaired”, said Tologata “These lights are deteriorating and falling apart very quickly due to sea spray from the seashore as well as some vandalism from the public”, he said.

There are about a 100 town lights and E.P.C is solely responsible for their repairs and maintenance.

“Government has a plan for a new seawall and the replacement of these seawall lights is included”, said Tologata.

According to this year’s budget, the Approved Estimates of Receipts and Payments of the Government of Samoa for the Financial Year ending 30 June 2014, government has budgeted $200,000 tala for seawalls.

This follows expenditure of $1,892,000 tala last year for seawalls.