Father laments money woes

By Ulimasao Fata 08 November 2017, 12:00AM

Life can be very difficult when your salary cannot cover all your financial needs.

This is according to a young father Setu Tomi, 34, from the village of Malie.

Village Voice met the father of six while doing his work around the Puipa’a area yesterday morning.

Mr. Tomi works for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries but he says his fortnight salary is not enough.

“My fortnight salary is about $150 and that is not enough at all given the high cost of living in Samoa.”

“I have six children, with three attending school and the others are still at home.”

Mr. Tomi said coupled with the expensive cost of living in Samoa are the family and church obligations.

“If we don’t loan here in Samoa, then we just can’t survive because basically the case is that our salary cannot cater for all the obligations that we are tied to every day.” 

“It is really hard to cope with this because if our wages and salary were good, I don’t think there will be any issues regarding the high cost of living here then.”

Mr. Tomi also shared about the struggles his family encountered on a daily basis.

“It is so hard nowadays because my salary would all be gone in the weekend before the new week kicks in.”

“The other hard part is when kids start to get sick and if we don’t have money it is really difficult.”

Mr. Tomi added the high cost of living could also be tackled through farming.

“We just have to go back to our plantation because that’s the only way we can help support the family in times of financial difficulties,” he said. 

By Ulimasao Fata 08 November 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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