Water tanks alarm raised

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 16 March 2018, 12:00AM

The management of the Civil Society Support Programme (C.S.S.P.) is alarmed about reports some families are looking to take advantage of the generosity of others.

Speaking to the Weekend Observer, the C.S.S.P. Project Manager, Theresa Masoe Taimalelagi, said water tanks donated to families, who requested them in the first place, cannot be sold for profit. 

Today, she is appealing to recipients to remember that.

The appeal follows reports about some of them offering to sell the tanks.

Mrs. Taimalelagi, told the Weekend Observer they are aware of posts on social media where one family from Nu’u Fou has been looking at selling the tank donated to them.

When the Weekend Observer looked at the page, the claim was confirmed. 

On Tuesday, a person posted on the Makeki Online page on Facebook: “Selling on behalf of a family they were about to move to Savai’i and they need money”. 

The water tank was on sale for $1,200 or nearest offer and has been used for one year and it can store about 5,000 liters of water. 

But Mrs. Taimalelagi told the Weekend Observer this is wrong.

“The water tanks project that is underway targets only vulnerable families and the current contract that we have is with the Village Councils not the families,” she said. 

 “There are no set guidelines indicating that families cannot sell the water tanks. 

 “However this is where common sense is applied and it goes without saying that water tanks should not be sold. 

 “The water tanks projects are for vulnerable families and are handed over to the village after the implementation of the programme. The village chiefs are responsible for the water tanks. 

 “It’s understandable that in Samoa, families move around and they can take the water tank with them, but to sell something that you did not purchase, it is not right. 

 “This issue goes back to village governance structure that currently exists with C.S.S.P. If the families are done using the water tanks, it has to go back to the villages and that is our understanding, they are the ones whom the property now belongs to,” explained the C.S.S.P. Manager. 

C.S.S.P. is currently reviewing what the contractual obligations of the Village Council are. 

Mrs. Taimalelagi told the Samoa Observer the selling of water tanks is discouraged because there are many families who are in dire need of assistance. 

She reminded the overall objective is to assist in improving the social and economic well-being of the people of Samoa. 

The C.S.S.P. Manager said this is not the first time they have dealt with this issue and again this is “highly discouraged”. 

“It is common sense that if something was gifted to you, you should not sell it,” said Mrs. Taimalelagi. 

 “We have been in contact with the said family and the Village Mayor to sort out this matter,” she explained.  

According to the C.S.S.P. website, their efforts are a combined initiative of the Government of Samoa, AusAID, World Bank, U.N.D.P. and C.S.Os.

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 16 March 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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