The government should help to reduce the cost of living.

People are not the same. While some are high-income earners, others are struggling to keep up with the cost of living.

That is the life Lofa Asi from Falelauniu and Safotu Savai’i is experiencing.

According to Asi, the cost of living is way too expensive for him and a lot of people.

Speaking to the Village Voice, the 59-year-old is not happy about the situation.

 “I understand that there’s nothing anyone can do to change this except for the government,” Asi told the Village Voice team.

 “The cost of living is a major problem because we have to live everyday knowing that we always have to pay for what we need and want in order to have it.”

 “So it’s completely out of our hands to control the cost of living. It’s entirely up to the government and I think they should act now because money doesn’t grow on trees.”

“For me; I think what we spend most of my money on is food because this is a daily need; it’s difficult to budget sometimes knowing that you’re an income earner.”

 “I mean let alone buying sugar for $3-00; I think that’s expensive because back in the days, it only costs me $0.50. That’s a big difference don’t you think?”

 “It’s no reason why most of us now go to Chinese shops because we know we can afford most of their products.” 

“And not forgetting the bills for water and electricity, sometimes it goes up to an amount of $400 and we always have to pay for it because these are things that have become important to our way of living.” 

“But what is our own government doing to us to help? Nothing really.”

“The cost of living is a problem and problems are meant to be fixed.”