Voters in Alamagoto say the bad road condition in their village should be a priority for the incoming Member of Parliament following next month’s election.

Fifty-four-year-old Caroline Moana Naea told the Samoa Observer that their road is not safe and its width should be widened and footpaths added.

“It is not safe, the road is so narrow, I have been hearing for a long time that the Government was going to widen the road by five metres,” she said.

Residents in Alamagoto have been complaining about the safety of the road in Alamagoto located between Vaimea and Sinamoga. 

Motorists are known to speed up and down the stretch making it risky for pedestrians, many of them children, who traverse the village on a rock and dirt trail that in some parts measure only about a foot wide.

The residents have also appealed to authorities to set up speed humps to slow cars down in the area, suggesting something similar like those next to the Vaimea Primary School. 

Mrs. Naea said she believes every candidate who runs for public office should visit each family in their constituency.

Her family home had a poster of the caretaker Minister of Justice and Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu on their front door when the Samoa Observer visited.

The caretaker Minister, who is the M.P. for the Vaimauga No. 4 constituency, is hoping to retain his seat.

Pointing to the Minister’s poster, she said he is the only candidate to visit their home.

“That is the only candidate who has visited our home, the only candidate from H.R.P.P. to visit our home. 

“And he is a candidate for H.R.P.P. for me every person, whoever runs should visit every family. 

“How am I supposed to know which candidate is which (and) who is who?”

Mrs. Naea lives not far from her father, 74-year-old George Schuster, who is related to lawyer Faualo Harry Schuster who is also contesting the Vaimauga No.4 seat under the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party banner.

Mr Schuster, who acknowledged that his relative is also running, said last Thursday was the first time he has ever seen Faaolesa in the village.

He said the caretaker Minister and candidate was accompanied by three women and a man.

“He said nothing, he didn’t say a word. [The man who was with him] spoke. He greeted me, apologised for disturbing me and asked if I could help them out and vote for him (Faaolesa). That is all he said but the candidate said nothing,” he added.

“I didn’t ask him any questions because I had no questions to ask but this is the first time I have ever seen and met him.”

Mrs Naea told this newspaper that Mr Schuster, the F.A.S.T. party candidate is a cousin brother. 

“The only candidates I know are Harry because he is our cousin, who is running, and Katopau who came here and visited with us. It was last week when he came with his committee.”

Her 52-year-old husband Lemafa Asomua Naea said they will vote for the candidate who visited them and he will be the first in the family to cast his vote during pre-polling, as he has a leg injury that restricts his movement.

“I am an H.R.P.P. supporter. I have been voting for H.R.P.P. since I was 21 years old. In this election, we are going to give our vote to the first person who came here,” Lemafa said.

“The election is almost here but none of the other candidates have visited us so what we are looking at is the work he will do after the election.”

Attempts have been made by the Samoa Observer to reach Faaolesa for a comment about the unsafe road complaints. 

His opponent Faualo was seen visiting homes in Alamagoto last Friday afternoon. 

There are a total of four candidates vying for the Vaimauga No. 4 seat: Faaolesa, Faualo, Vaea Ivana Eli and Maugaoalii Faamanu Mualia.

The 26 villages that comprise Vaimauga no. 4 are: Leufisa, Motootua, Malifa, Leifiifi, Apia, Lalovaea, Lalovaea East, Aai o Niue, Maluafou, Matafele, Vaimea, Palisi, Tamaligi, Tauese, Tufuiopa, Mulinuu, Fugalei, Savalalo, Saleufi, Sogi, Taufusi, Togafuafua, Aai o Fiti, Mulivai, Tuloto and Alamagoto.