The matais and church leaders of Vaimoso have taken the criticism of their lack of assistance to their young people seriously and have come up with a plan. 

They have revived the Boy’s Brigade in a bid to provide useful skills and activities for their youth.

But they have also included those in their village who are currently unemployed.

The mayor of the village, Faleafa Matai’a said, “As we all know the young ones of our village were involved in gangs and so a lot of the people were questioning what the matais are doing about it. So today, this is the answer.

“We have decided to revive the Boy’s Brigade to make sure that all the young ones of the villages are occupied and in this group,” said Faleafa.

Falefa said as well as those who are young, it will be mandatory for those who are unemployed, to join as well.

“It is a must for them to join the Boy’s Brigade,” he said.

He said the matais and church leaders are confident that this will help because there are a lot of activities that have been put together.

“We will make sure they will always be occupied with activities and that is what we are here for,” he said.

“We will be helping them to ensure that they will not get in trouble again.”

Faleafa said Boys’ Brigade  was originally started by the Congregational Christian Church in 1940.

“After a while it was then passed on to the village. Now it is no longer the C.C.C.S. Boy’s Brigade but the village’s so this is a way of ensuring that our young people stay out of trouble.”

Father Mikaele Fonoti of the Vaimoso Catholic Church admonished those who had been in trouble and spoke of the opportunity to make a fresh start for themselves and for the village. 

 “Your life is a gift from God so make use of it,” he said.

“Why would you want to waste your time on that gang when you can go get a job and help out with your family?

“Instead you went and created these problems and then people criticised us, the leaders of the church asking what were we doing?

“But we never told you to go and do all of these things. We told you to make use of your lives and do something so your future would be better but instead you went and did the opposite.

“We hope today is the beginning of something fresh and I hope you will become better people because the whole village is working together now to ensure that you will.

“So make use of the opportunity and make use of your time and your life.”