Deputy mayor refuses to be bullied over Samoa aid claims

BY ESTHER LAUAKI - KAPI-MANA NEWS

"I'm sick to death of being demonised for the comments I've made about the aid in Samoa."

Porirua Deputy Mayor Litea Ah Hoi spoke to Kapi-Mana News last week about the backlash from the Samoan Government over comments she made about the distribution of aid in the tsunami-stricken islands.

Since she returned on October 24, Ms Ah Hoi says there has been a concerted effort by the Samoan Government to discredit her, including emails of a threatening nature.

"I expected criticism when I spoke out about this and I accept that, but I will not be bullied or threatened by the government. I'm of the view that I have the right to have my say  just like them."

Ms Ah Hoi says she was told she was "now being marked" following her claims that aid was being mismanaged by the government, inefficiently distributed by local leaders and some supplies being sold off in shops.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi released a statement rubbishing the deputy mayor's claims, saying the Samoan media who broke the news had fabricated stories of corruption.

Ms Ah Hoi says the issues are widely talked about on the streets of Samoa but people won't speak publicly for fear it will deter countries from offering further aid.

She says she had spoken with health workers in the village of Saleapaga who told her they were waiting for trucks with fresh water to wash and bath in, people were still living in tents and the public port-a-loos had not been serviced in three weeks.

"I raised my concerns about New Zealand aid with the Prime Minister himself as well as the Disaster Management Office centre, as well as the Red Cross after my visit around the villages where I saw the streets for myself."

Aid from the Red Cross was being replenished daily and given directly to the people but the DMO centre was subject to different rules and were instructed to distribute only to the pulenu'u (local leaders) in each village, to be allotted as they saw fit, Ms Ah Hoi says.

She believes people whose homes are still salvageable should not receive emergency aid because there are still too many who have lost everything.

"The whole guts of it for me is that aid gets to those who need it. Feedback from the health workers in Saleapaga is a that the water trucks have turned up, the tarps have come down and the toilets have been serviced, which is great, but what about all the other villages? More needs to be done."

Last week media in Samoa investigated the corruption allegations and found basic aid supplies were still not getting to many victims of the September 29 tsunami.

"While [the Samoan Government] is entitled to their view, they should focus on helping these people instead of discrediting me."

Ms Ah Hoi encourages people in New Zealand to continue giving to the relief effort for Samoa through the Red Cross and other agencies.