The fear created by the machete attack incident in Faleula last Wednesday is traumatising to those who were there to watch. This is another violent incident, adding to the escalating crime wave.

This was a retaliation by a victim of an alleged robbery, who chose to take the law into his own hands. This raises a serious question. Why did the victim who turned aggressor, did not reach out to the police and report the crime? If he was indeed robbed or if this could be an ongoing fight between two gangs, which is a greater concern? If it is the latter, a lot of things in Samoa have changed, and it is not the kind of change the nation needs.

Away from Faleula, houses are being targeted by a different kind of gang. This is a gang of young men who have been breaking into homes and stealing items. At least four houses in the neighbourhood were broken into, and an attempt to steal a vehicle was thwarted by an awake neighbour. This did not deter them from breaking into other homes. A group of concerned residents have started a Facebook group where they keep each other updated and look out for one another.

There were other break-ins, including in Vaitele, Afega and Nuu. Some of these have happened in daylight. It could be wise for residents in an area to band together to organise neighbourhood watch zones, and for police to come with a better beat plan where they can patrol more areas. A costly option is to set up smaller police posts.

What is becoming of our society? Fingers cannot be pointed at police, they are not responsible for the increase in crime. They are doing their best with whatever limited resources they have. This is a breakdown of society. This is the result of systematic negligence of social issues over the years. That has led to a growing crime problem. It is also a reflection of how our elected leaders are not focusing on key issues.

Over the years, there has been very little done to upgrade law enforcement, having enough numbers on the ground, having better pay for the police, modernising laws, creating awareness on the laws, social issues have not been addressed, and not focusing on education. Meth which is now a scourge is also as factor in the increase in robberies and burglaries.

Politicians have to take the blame for this as well. For decades, elected officials have not focused on social issues. They are more focused on how things would benefit them. Poverty, lack of education and crime are interrelated social issues. How often have we heard parliamentarians talk in parliament about eradicating poverty in their districts? Can any politician stand up in or outside of parliament and claim that all children in their constituency are in school or that there are no families who would be going without dinner?

The moment elected officials start doing what they are supposed to be doing, we will see improvements. We do not need self-serving leaders. We do not need leaders who will come and splash money before the elections, rope voters in and for five years do very little until the next election is around the corner. That has been happening, and that is why we are here today.

Poverty breeds crime. This is not a statement out of thin air, but proven in all economies. To decrease crime levels, poverty needs to be addressed. There is only one solution – education. Make education accessible and free. Bring teachers under the civil service banner and ensure that children can get to school, do not have to worry about paying for education and have teachers in classrooms when they reach school.

This will not happen overnight. If we start now, in the next two decades, a better-educated society could lead to low crime levels. Through education, we can help the future generation have a better understanding of the law. Right now, it is a sad thing to say, but many police officers are not versed in the law themselves. Education can change this. We can have a prosperous society, but it will take commitment from elected leaders to be selfless. They need to stop looking after their agenda and focus on what is best for their districts and the nation.

This is a real issue facing everyone. Something needs to be done now.

Have a pleasant Sunday.