Samoan PM denies aid rorts

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The Samoan prime minister is defending his country's response to the devastating tsunami, denying claims of aid relief rorts and saying international relief is reaching disaster victims.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said yesterday that Samoan media had fabricated stories of corruption and aid diversion, including claims that some aid parcels were being sold off in local shops.

"Our media will print any story that anybody comes up with, and it is one of my contentions that our media should have come and analysed, followed up, the truth of these allegations," he told Radio NZ.

But Porirua Deputy Mayor Litea Ah Hoi, who returned from Samoa on Saturday, said she had no doubt aid was being mismanaged by the government.

"I'm quite disappointed with his response."

Ms Ah Hoi said not only was aid being inefficiently distributed by local leaders, but she was certain some was being sold off in shops.

"People talk about it quite openly in Samoa, in the streets and the fales, but they won't speak out publicly over it, and that's one of the stories that has been relayed, that some of the trucks have been selling off to the shops."

However, Kapiti psychologist Richard Sawrey, who returned this month from a two-week volunteer stint in Samoa, said the feeling on the ground was that the government was doing a good job. "We have seen no evidence of mismanagement of aid or funds during our work.

"The local village leaders that we were working with were doing all they could to distribute wisely to the affected families."

Mr Sawrey said many families had not rebuilt, but most of those were facing tough decisions about where they would live.

Some were looking to rebuild in the same location, others were looking to build further inland.

Others were waiting to find out what would be offered in aid so they could let relatives in New Zealand know what they needed.

Porirua woman Mavis Tinielu is praying that a box of donated goods she has sent to Samoa will reach her relatives.

Her cousin lost three grandchildren in the tsunami and faces rebuilding her life from scratch. Mrs Tinielu had put together a box of practical items as most of their household items had been washed away. "Stuff like what they really need, like plates, and small items like needles, cottons, appliances – things that are used in the kitchen."

She emptied half of her own toolbox to provide useful items that her relatives could use to put their homes back together.

She would "just pray hard" that the box arrived where it was meant to be.

- © Fairfax NZ News