By Staff Writer
Urban overcrowding is unlikely to be a major worry in the future for Samoa with better ports to spread out any population concentration with the offer of job opportunities.
Decentralization was the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi’s key word in his vision to develop the seaports around the country.
Upgrading the Salelologa and Asau ports for easier and better access for sea travel are his answers to growing the local economy in these selected areas.
The same benefits will extend to the Aleipata wharf as an outlet for improved trade between the two Samoas.
“The Asau Port is the key to the development of the western side of Savaii with its natural harbour deep enough for any vessel to move around inside,” PM Tuilaepa said in Parliament last week.
He recalled the time when the American timber milling company, Potlatch, used the Asau wharf to ship out valuable ironwood timber from the forests of Asau and how it lifted the local economy in the area.
When the company finally left after clearing out the forest Asau became a ghost town with many of the accommodation and office buildings abandoned.
“All we need to do at Asau is to widen the entrance to the harbour and a marine study by an overseas company says they can do the work.
“Instead of blowing up the coral and rock formation they have developed new technology to crunch it away and open up the entrance to all vessels.”
PM Tuilaepa ranks the natural attractions in the area as ideal for visiting cruise ships to include the Asau as one of its port of calls.
An international shipping fleet would capitalise on the ideal location for a base to operate from.
The Salelologa port serves as the main entry by sea to Savaii and with the growth of the township on the island, there will be jobs and other opportunities for people stay and benefit from.
“There’ll no point moving to Apia and growing the urban population when the same opportunities are available at home.”
Aleipata is ideal as a port for the shipment of agricultural produce to neighbouring American Samoa.
Tuilaepa referred to talking with the Governor of the American territory on several occasions about building a wharf at Leone village, as the closest point to Aleipata.
“ It will cut down on the travel time and making easier for use to supply them with our agricultural produce to meet their demand.”
He added that for now the priority is the development of the Vaiusu Port.
Faleata West MP Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi is giving full support to the Vaiusu Port project with direct benefits to his electorate at Vaitele and beyond.
“ The question we must ask first is whether we need the Vaiusu wharf and the resounding answer is yes,” the MP loudly proclaimed in his address in Parliament.
“More employment opportunities will be available as well as the expansion of the Apia Township and the Vaitele Industrial Zone at the same time.”
Lealailepule also underlined the quick need for the new wharf with the Matautu-tai port statistics between 2015-2019 showing a 70 increase in ocean going vessels.
Foreign fishing vessels have soared by 340 percent with 10 thousand cargo containers off loaded at wharf representing a 30% increase.
