Having survived attempts by the previous administration to move them from Sogi, a member of the Tokuma family is still holding out hope the new Government will find them land closer to town.

Keiana Tokuma Leota, whose family has opposed moves by the previous administration in recent years to take over land where their residences are now located, told the Samoa Observer on Thursday that they have no intention of leaving until they are given land closer to Apia.

She said the matter returns to the court next year and they are not keen on throwing in the towel just yet until they hear from the authorities.

And with the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) Government now in office, Mrs Leota said they are yet to hear from the new administration on whether work to build the new flea market at Sogi will resume.

She said these are trying times as they had lost the patriarch of their family, her mother Aiga Tokuma who also strongly opposed the previous government’s orders to leave.

“Before she passed away in December last year, during her final moments she made us all promise to never stop fighting for this land,” she said.

Her husband Vaifale Lui Leota, who appeared before the court for allegedly interfering with Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C.) workers clearing the land for a new market a year ago, has been acquitted of criminal charges.

Water accessibility continues to be a challenge for the families in Sogi with Mr Leota revealing that the Samoa Water Authority (S.W.A.) just turned their water supply back on around late June after his household’s running water was cut off last November.

“I didn’t have running water from November last year until June this year; luckily the other five houses still had running water,” he said.

Vaifale added that nothing can change the family’s decision to remain on the land which they are currently residing on. 

He said they will only move if the Government is willing to give them the same amount of land measuring 20 acres and located within 5 miles of the Apia township.

“We do not want to relocate there to Sogi-fou, the people who’ve moved there are currently paying lease when the land should be given to them without payment,” he said.

Vaifale said if the Government cannot accept their request then their land next to the S.L.C. project site should be elevated similar to the proposed market site to secure it and they can get on with their lives.