KEY POINTS:
The sun still rises in Samoa but this week it is somewhat somber.
I just found out that the Ministry of Police in partnership with the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) have been shooting stray dogs in the early hours of the morning and dumping the carcasses in a mass pit at the local landfill.
The operation known as 'Stray Dogs Eradication Taskforce' apparently began in January in a bid to "beautify" the town before the South Pacific Games in August-September.
The Animal Protection Society says they cannot do anything about it. A spokesperson said: "We are a small organisation and we cannot fight against the Government."
Their disapproval of such practice has not stopped the Taskforce from killing more than a 100 dogs a month.
Last night I stumbled upon their kill of the morning, seven dogs in a pile next to the STA office in town, most of the dogs looked well fed and clean, indicating that they are non-strays.
On a lighter note, it is still raining in Paradise, this week has seen more than three days of heavy rains in Samoa, a rain jacket is now a must have, although it is hard to find any size other than XXL sold in local stores.
On the news front, the second hearing by the local Legislative Bills Committee on the Land Bill has caused quite a stir amongst locals. The Bill proposes a whole shift in current land management and ownership agreements and regulations. It ultimately aims to disintegrate the Customary Land system, turning all properties into freehold land. A submission made by Samoa Umbrella for Non Government Organisations (SUNGO) accused the writers of the bill as "culturally ignorant."
SUNGO has made a firm stance against the commercial valuation of customary land, emphasising that spiritual, social and cultural value of land cannot be priced.
Speaking of prices, turkey tails are racking up profits in local supermarkets as the last supply of the fatty commodities are being sold.
The Ministry of Health issued a ban on the importation of turkey tails and gave sellers a chance to sell off the rest of their turkey tail stocks.
According to Larry Tiatia, who earns less than SAT$6000.00 a year "The Government should offer us a cheaper alternative, the chicken is expensive and canned fish is becoming dearer as well."
Meanwhile the Prime Minister Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Lupesoliai Malielegaoi gave local newsprint, radio and TV Editors a hard time during the first ever local Editors Forum hosted by the Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa.
"Invention of stories seems to be popular amongst our Journalists," he said.
Six local Editors spoke at the Forum expressing their views on the value of a Free Press in Samoa and each requested the Government to adopt a Freedom of Information Act and to abolish current legislation which inhibits the work of a Journalist in Samoa.
On the more entertaining front, Spiderman 3 has sold out in Samoa in its first week of screening.
In response to demand from viewers, Magik Cinemas showed the movie in its two big theatres, but the theatre still had to turn people away at the door.
The coconut wireless has informed me that my home village Safua on the island of Savaii fought over the moving of a cupboard.
It's a long story, but the feud was between the Women's Committee and the village council of Chiefs (matais).
According to eye witnesses the Chiefs requested the use of the newly built Women's Committee house for this month's chiefly meeting.
Much to the surprise of the President of the Women's Committee, the Chiefs turned up in a truck with the council cupboard containing council cutlery; believe it or not, the move indicated the Chiefs intention to use the committee house permanently.
This apparently did not sit down well with the President of the Women's Committee who in true Samoan, loudly professed intrusion and disrespect and reminded the Chiefs that they built the house for women and not the Chiefs.
It is not known what became of the cupboard in the end.
So as the sun sets on yet another day in Samoa, the rural villages and town area still face their own battles, one more local and the other more national.
Whatever the case, it is not all sunny and perfect in Paradise.
Manuia le aso
Cherelle Jackson
