Cost of living and changes in Samoa

By Ulimasao Fata 17 December 2017, 12:00AM

Just like the sides of a coin, there is always a good and bad side of life.

And with the considerable changes in Samoa today, evading the negative impacts are inevitable. 

This is the belief of a 40-year-old father, Ilalio Vaifale, from the village of Leauva’a Uta. 

Mr. Vaifale believes the ultimate impact of new developments in our country is the expensive cost of living.

“The cost of living in Samoa is very expensive compared to the price of things back in the days,” he told the Village Voice team while returning from his plantation on Saturday. 

“The cost of living is also evident when one takes time to compare the value of our earnings today with what it was back in the day.

“The other sad thing for Samoa today is the lack of job opportunity and I think that is where the struggle comes in because the reality is, if you don’t work, then the only thing you can do is work the land.”

Mr. Vaifale added life in Samoa nowadays is all about money.

“When we have funerals, weddings and family obligations, this is when you see people struggling to find money.

“And some people are also reluctant to look for money to support their church and village obligations.”

Despite the negative side of the coin, Mr. Vaifale says there are advantages of living in beautiful Samoa.

“I must say that lucky here in Samoa, we don’t have wars like other countries we see on television every night.

“We are also fortunate to have land here in Samoa that we can work on to feed us unlike other countries where starvation and hunger exist.

“Samoa is way better than New Zealand because in New Zealand if you don’t work, you will be on the streets, but here you can eat at your neighbour’s place.”

He says being surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean adds to the positive side of the coin.

“We have land to work on and also the sea is there for us, well to me even though life is completely expensive, I’m just thankful that I have a land to work on to help support my family in terms of food.”

By Ulimasao Fata 17 December 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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