Dear Editor,

A recent letter raised doubts about HRPP’s vision for major infrastructure projects such as the bridge to Savai‘i and the tunnel to Fagaloa Bay. The concern was that these plans are unrealistic and would drive Samoa into unsustainable debt. These are valid questions, but they deserve a fuller and more balanced response.

Debt Is Not the Enemy

Every country in the world — developed or developing — carries debt. It is through loans that nations fund roads, ports, hospitals, schools, and the communications systems on which their people depend. The critical issue is not whether debt exists, but whether it is structured and managed wisely. For small states like Samoa, concessional loans have long been the foundation of development. These packages often include more than 50% as grants, with the balance repayable at very low interest over extended terms. When used responsibly, such financing allows even mega-projects to proceed without crippling the economy.

Samoa’s Development Partners

Samoa is not alone. We are blessed with longstanding partners — New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, the European Union, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, UNDP and others — who have invested heavily in infrastructure, climate adaptation, and social development across the Pacific. If framed properly, bridges and tunnels need not be seen as extravagant. They can be positioned as climate resilience projects that support supply chains, tourism, emergency response, and economic integration. Development partners have consistently supported such initiatives when they align with sustainable growth and regional cooperation.

Lessons from Other Nations

Global history shows that ambitious projects can succeed when backed by strong governance and concessional financing:

• Kenya built the $3.6 billion Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, with 90% funded by China’s Exim Bank, creating jobs and boosting trade.
• Tanzania and Zambia completed the TAZARA Railway with an interest-free loan from China, which continues to serve as a vital trade artery since the 1970s.
• Pakistan reconstructed the Karakoram Highway and tunnels with loans at just 1.6%, connecting remote communities and improving disaster resilience.
• Ghana delivered the 400 MW Bui Hydroelectric Dam through a 2% concessional loan and grants, strengthening power supply and irrigation.

These projects prove that “mega” does not mean “impossible.” With careful planning, transparency, and donor engagement, such works can change a nation’s future. Samoa has the right — and the responsibility — to pursue the same.

Leadership Beyond Excuses

Too often, we hear leaders say: “We cannot build because we must pay debts” or “Progress must wait because of past challenges.” Excuses will not build roads, wharves, or bridges. Samoa does not need leaders who complain — it needs leaders who act.

Whoever governs in the next five years must embrace responsibility and solutions. Every government faces debt, but strong governments use it to create progress. Once God appoints leaders through the people’s voice, they carry a sacred duty to serve with courage, justice, and humility. The people do not need delays and blame; they need action, vision, and faith-driven leadership.

Transparency and Benefits

To secure trust from development partners, Samoa must commit to stability, accountability, and transparent governance. If HRPP returns to power, it must sharpen its pencil of implementation: phasing projects responsibly, avoiding waste, and ensuring that benefits are shared equitably. Alongside mega-projects, direct relief programs like COLA, SUPA, and PELEGA should continue to ease living costs for families. Development must balance the long-term with the immediate, ensuring that no citizen is left behind.

Faith in Action

Samoa does not have oil, coal, or mineral resources. But we do have something greater: our people. Strong, resilient, skilled, and guided by faith. God has given us minds to think, souls to discern, and bodies to act. Prayer is essential, but prayer must lead to bold action. Faith without works is dead.

If we pray every day but shrink back in fear from bold projects, we dishonour the God who has equipped us to build and to lead. Ultimately, every plan is just paper — implementation rests in the hands of Almighty God. Leaders are called not to enrich themselves but to steward His people. With faith and integrity, bridges and tunnels will not become monuments of debt but symbols of connection, resilience, and hope.

Conclusion

Concerns about cost and feasibility are real, but they should not paralyse us. Every nation borrows. Every nation takes risks for its people. The real question is whether Samoa’s leaders will step forward with courage, accountability, and trust in God.

If HRPP is given the mandate, it must deliver both immediate relief and long-term vision, working with trusted partners and under God’s guidance. Only then will bridges and tunnels move from ideas to enduring pathways for Samoa’s future prosperity.

Patea Loli Lolofietele M. Setefano