By Martha Taumata Fa’ava
The long line of white vans weaving along the coastal front from Faleolo International Airport to Apia two weeks ago, did more than impress villages it passed along the heavily populated western side of Upolu.
Villagers watched the rare sight in awe at first before the reality of the deadly coronavirus pandemic crept in to raise anxious levels.
Only a ‘stone throw away’ from the international airport, the villagers at Faleatiu Village were among the first to line up on the road side to watch the passing convoy of speeding white vans under police escort.
Among the watchers at the time was the village ‘pulenu’u’ Letoaoaana Sua Talimatasi.
“Started to feel an icy chill as I watched the long line of cars went past, it felt like this dangerous virus has finally reached us in Samoa,” Letoaoaana reflected on his worried reaction about a fortnight ago.
This was the first large group of 146 Samoan citizens and residents returning from New Zealand where they were stranded for close to 3 months when the borders for international travel went into lockdown.
“I did feel for our people who were caught up by the lockdown and was happy to see them home again but we have to stick to our priorities and that is to protect Samoa from the virus,” Letoaoaana insisted.
Faleatiu village has made no official ruling yet to allow new arrivals into the village without going through the mandatory 14 days isolation, unlike other villages around the country.
But Letoaoaana said they are fully aware of the risks and are watching very carefully.
“I’ve been told by families in our village that they have advised their relatives either stranded or wishing to visit Samoa to stay put in New Zealand until it is safe to come.
“I’m quite relieved that we did not have any returning people from our village with this group but if there are any still coming, the advise is for families to respect the health security measures we have.
“Personally, I’ll only feel safe once all these special flights for our stranded travelers are done and we close our borders again.”
Letoaoaana promised his Faleatiu village full support of all the lockdown orders that are being enforced for the sake of Samoa’s health security.
But at the same time too his heart goes out to all the homesick Samoans who want nothing more than to jump on the first flight back to Samoa.
“I would feel the same if I was in their position as well.”
Villages like Sapulu and Sakalafai of Salelologa, are drawing the line on any returning village residents turning up home without being cleared through quarantine.
“I know there are people from our villages included in the list of returning travellers stranded in New Zealand and they are warned not to return home until they have served out the 14 days quarantine requirements,” ‘pulenu’u’ Pauli Sasauli advised earlier.
“We’re aware there is a $2000 fine for anyone who breaks the quarantine orders but we want to put more stress on the protection with our full support of the measures in place.”
Village councils emergency lockdown support of policing duties make the Minister of Women and Social Community Developments, Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama, a very happy man.
Police rely heavily on the support of the traditional leadership authority in the villages to keep watch of activities like dedication of new churches, bestowals of new chiefly titles, weddings, funerals and birthday celebrations.
Among the orders to be maintained in the villages are the restrictions of any grouping of people to only 5 allowed.