Dear Editor

Unhappy with expensive cost of living

Most villagers are like Mr Fualau. They are in the same cost of living problem boat. Maybe just taking a fresh approach to how we go about living is required. One thing Samoa is blessed with is the fertile land.

I can see that from picture of Niupopo. I would say Niupopo’s land is not fertile enough for a good crop of taro but bananas and breadfruit seems to be growing luxuriantly.

Why not focus on these crops first. Trim breadfruit and desucker bananas. Land also seems good for kaamu, yams, magioka and umala. Get some from MAF and their help in planning plots on your land for these.

‘Maintenance free’ greens like laupele, pi, isalaelu, kukama maukegi melegi etc can be planted. Five of each is a good start. With greens, you have to pick sisi afelika two or three times a week.

Your fishing skills will also be handy. Try and gauge what is needed to consistently provide for family.

Try and plant a little extra to coincide with start of school, holidays like christmas, new year, easter, mothers day, independence, white sunday, birthdays etc. see what I’m driving at? I grew up in a village where farmers were doing this with kagakalo.

Mostly two for every holiday except for xmas/new year where they will have 3 or 4.

The gripe about church and faalavelave, if your church minister is sending you on a guilt trip every Sunday because you are not giving enough, then maybe change church to one that understands that you are only able to give ‘good works, like a cup of water to needy, and not more money) With faalavelave, well blood is thicker than water, we have a saying ‘o oe nei , au taeao’ family have always understood. Government is growing and seems to be governing by legislation, two contributors to high cost of living.

kaloPalagi