Use the land, Esera urges

By Ulimasao Fata 06 January 2018, 12:00AM

Samoans have so much to appreciate instead of complaining. 

Esera Lauano Apelu, 36, from the village of Vailu’utai believes there is always a way to find money, apart from regular jobs. 

Mr. Apelu told the Village Voice team yesterday that our land holds the key to our survival.

This land, he said, can be utilized as plantations to generate income for families.

“For us and our country, we have land that we work on on to provide and support our family,” Mr. Apelu said. 

“And the only thing for us to do is to work on it because the plantation can provide both food and finance at the same time for your family.

Mr. Apelu said the land addresses the struggles of dealing with the expensive cost of living.

“The cost of living today in Samoa is really high and expensive, so the price of exported goods from overseas is definitely high.

“So while exported goods are high and expensive, this is where our plantation comes in to be able to assist us, saving money from buying rice and other exported goods.”

Mr. Apelu mentioned while he has a regular job to support his family, he still enjoys working on his plantation.

“I have always enjoyed working on my plantation even though I have a regular job.

“To me having a regular job only covers us for a short period of time because we work to pay the bills.

“But to continue working the plantation together with your regular job, that contributes well enough to the welfare of the family.”

Mr. Apelu adds while this festive season brings lot of families from overseas, this is the time we need to show them how good our plantations are.

“I have families from overseas at our house at the moment, and I don’t want them to come here and eat rice.

“Let them eat rice when they leave, but when they’re here, they have to taste how good our crops can be, so they can go back and keep craving for more.

“Our country is really expensive right now, we don’t have to rely more on our regular jobs to support our families, let’s use our plantation together with our jobs to make life easier for our families who are suffering already,” Mr. Apelu said. 

By Ulimasao Fata 06 January 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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