$12 PLUS MILLION TALA INJECTION TO BUILD SAVAI’I ROADS
By: Joshua Lafoa’i
Over $12 million tala is being injected into the local economy via Government coffers to fund the Vaia’ata Cross Island Road project in Savaii currently under construction.
And the implementing agency, the Land and Transportation Authority, (LTA) is targeting the 20km new road to be completed in a few months.
Says LTA’s Chief Executive, Galumalemana Taatialeoititi Tutuvanu Schwalger;
“The 20km road cuts through Fusi Safotulafai to Patamea and stretches to a distance which is the same distance from Vaitele to Faleolo in Upolu.
“The Vaia’ata road project is a critical project for LTA because it’s an inland route. So drivers can now safely travel through this part of Savaii if there is flooding badly affecting the coastal roads we already have.
“It’s worth an estimated WST12.2m tala and is being funded by the government of Samoa.”
The road project is one of three road projects in Savaii under the LTA’s umbrella.
The second is the Satuiatua access road that leads to the Satuiatua Primary School compound. The price tag of $700,000 is funded by the World Bank under its Pilot Project for Climate Resilience fund.
The Satuiatua road is now complete.
The third project is the Vaisala road worth $600, 000 tala funded by the Government of Samoa.
Local businesses awarded the construction contracts are the beneficiaries of the three projects with a total value of close to $13 million tala.
“With the impact of Covid19 on our tourism and the cut down on jobs, the Government decided it should not stop major road development projects. And the three companies awarded the respective contracts to construct the road projects are local contractors in Savaii,” said Galumalemana.
“The goal is to keep our people employed, and this in a way would up-skill local contractors in road constructions,” she added.
A prime example of the Vaia’ata road. The 20km road is divided into four divisions.
Each section with the length of 5kms each.
“Each of the four sections are being constructed by a different contractor, that’s our bid to ensure that all our local contractors in Savaii are getting a share of the allocated money funneled into the projects in Savaii,” said Galumalemana.
The Cabinet Development Committee (C.D.C) visited thee projects in Savaii during their CDC site visit last week.
