Member of Parliament for Aleipata itupa i Lalo, Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua has called on the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment to investigate reports from the Asian Development Bank regarding the decrease of customary land in the Country.
He pointed out the ADB report issued in 1998 indicated that 81 percent of lands in Samoa are customary, however 22 years later the ADB reported the decrease in customary lands to 35 percent.
Faleomavaega urged Minister Toesulusulu Cedric Schuster to investigate the accuracy of these reports.
Among the issues raised by the MP during his speech, is for the Minister of Finance to enforce laws to protect the nation from moneylaunderers.
He told Mulipola Anarosa Molioo to put in place stringent laws to curb the money laundering and illegal circulation of money within the country by overseas businesses that are considering making investments in Samoa.
The MP also took issue with the $75 tala reconnection fee for water that’s been disconnected and the mandatory payment of 75 percent of the water bill before reconnection, noting these fees are quite high.
Faleomavaega urged the Samoa Water Authority to consider reducing these fees.
Another issue the MP raised is claims the overseas companies are not following the terms and conditions in the contract signed with the seasonal workers.
“The Government should look at the contract signed between the seasonal workers and the companies,” said theMP.
He did not go into details as to what way the overseas companies are “chattering” the samoan workers overseas.
