Lodge not a ‘failed project’

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 27 July 2018, 12:00AM

Minister of Public Enterprises Lautafi Selafi Purcell has rubbished claims Samoa Land Corporation’s Malifa Lodge was a ‘failed project’. 

Responding to Minister of Samoa Shipping Corporation (S.S.C.) Papali’i Niko Lee Hang, who recently used the Malifa Lodge project as an example of failed government-funded projects, Lautafi said the objective of the project was to ‘give back’ to the private and the company was not on sale.

“The goal for this project was to give it back to the private sector and that is what is happening, it did not fail. It was not as profitable in the beginning and I want to make it clear that it is not for sale, rather we have leased it to a private company and plus the lodge is located on S.L.C. property,” the Minister for Public Enterprise said. 

Papali’i recently criticized the decision by S.S.C. to propose the building of a bed-and-breakfast motel, saying such projects should be left to the private sector and the corporation should focus on its core business of improving shipping services. 

Malifa Lodge has 19 rooms, a laundry room and an office and according to the S.L.C. 2014/15 annual report generated $161,310 in revenue.

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 27 July 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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