The cost of lost opportunities for Samoa's current and future generations
Dear Editor,
Opportunity cost is a concept which put simply, describes the potential gains we've lost by making one decision over another.
Since 2021, Samoa has been living in a never-ending cycle of lost opportunities.
Samoa had the opportunity to build on the work of previous governments for the benefit of the nation.
The never-ending obsession to re-write history and erase many projects already in the pipeline has cost Samoa billions and decades of development progress.
Visionary leadership is about Samoa's development, culture and its people. It is not about political parties and individuals; those will come and go.
The most glaring lost opportunity is flying over our blue skies every week.
Fiji Airways, Air New Zealand, Qantas and Virgin are flying planeloads of Samoans and visitors every day, making millions of dollars in profits.
The lost opportunity to get Samoa's share of this market occurred when the present authority decided to cancel the most favourable lease arrangements for Samoa Airways to fly its own jets on these profitable international routes.
When Samoa Airways was operating those international routes, our people had a cheaper option and miraculously the cost of tickets on those other airlines dropped!
Samoans were flying back and forth to Auckland for fa’alavelaves, happy family reunions and watching international rugby games!
The cancelled Vaiusu / Vaitele wharf project would have increased our capacity to import and export goods, host tourist ships and create employment for our locals.
This international wharf would have been an international trans-shipment port that operates all year round in all weather conditions and berthing multiple ships, not like the current one-boat wharf at Mata'utu that is frequently battered by powerful ocean swells during the cyclone season.
It would have ensured a constant supply of goods and bring down the cost for our people.
It would have allowed our local producers and manufacturers to expand the export of our produce and goods.
Cancelling the Tiavea Airport project and investing in a $25 million "Regional Airport," is another economic fiasco.
Ti'avea Airport would have easily handled the so-called “regional air traffic” as well as current services to the dangerous Fagali'i Airport.
Samoa is now dealing with the many ill-informed decisions to restrict and politicise our participation in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, Pacific Australia Labour Mobility, and the Pacific Engagement Visa programs.
This sudden decision by Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party government, without any immediate and viable replacement plan, has cost our struggling families employment opportunities, a chance for an education and career for their children in Australia, and has dropped the level of remittances.
Every day, Samoans are constantly facing non-stop electricity disruptions, poorly maintained hospitals and roads, violent crime, a drug epidemic, overworked hospital staff, under-funded police and unpaid contracts.
These are just a few examples of the lost opportunities that our government's negligence has cost Samoa.
The continuing boast of managing national debt levels by cancelling these projects shows a lack of foresight when one realises the billions that the nation has lost in opportunities to serve current and future generations of Samoans.
Major economic investments and development strategies can never be achieved with wheelbarrows, crates of beer, and packets of cigarettes distributed to buy votes while the leader and most of the Ministers are away today, asking for donations from our people in Alaska, Seattle etc., etc.
It will take us years to rebuild and start all over again. We have done it before and will do it again, God willing.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP