By Staff Writers
Lockdown restrictions on family funerals will remain until the pandemic passes and more importantly the current national economy improves.
The Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, felt very strongly about keeping funerals on lockdown, to save families from the added economic burden of the culture and the church
“We all know the economic situation in the country now with workers who are laid off work,” Tuilaepa observed.
“Overseas family members relied on for remittances are also standing in long lines for welfare handouts.”
The PM noted some of the cases where burial services are held up for about a month while families wait for money to be sent from ‘children’ living outside Samoa.
He defended the Government decision to delay the lifting of funeral restrictions on the love preached in the teachings of the Lord’s commandments.
Tuilaepa is also seriously critical of families who make it difficult on themselves by trying to reach beyond their means to boast their status and general recognition.
“ This is the kind of culture that we practice today that is far from the simple and less expensive one we were once familiar with when all we needed was one big pig and a fine mat and it is done.
“Today the family is being made to give more to the culture and the church which all it does is to make them poor.”
The PM called on the village and church leaders to step up and take leadership responsibilities at this difficult time to help ease the burden for the families.
He is genuinely sorry for overseas based family members when the father makes the call from Samoa to send money home.
“You feel for these family members because they will always try to look for the money to send home despite the hard struggles they are going through with home rents to be paid, keeping warm from the cold weather and having children to care for and put through schools.
“What we need now are for our village and churches leaders to take responsibility by not encouraging families to go overboard with weddings, title bestowals, funerals and more.
“Keep to the prayers the Lord taught to ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ which means that we should live within our means.”
Tuilaepa holds strongly to the belief that this virus pandemic carries a very important message for everyone to return to the righteous path they have strayed from.
“This is God’s wake up call for everyone to live according to his teachings.”
He also added that the lockdown restrictions the Government is forced to impose is for the good of everyone and it is done out of love.