A Samoan MP says something must be done to protect members of his constituency from prisoners escaping from Tafaigata prison.
There has been a spate of escapes recently, prompting prisoners' weekend privileges to be revoked and a call from the prime minister for management to lift their performance as well as improve the fitness of staff.
Faleata West MP, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, said people living in nearby areas were often terrorised by escapees.
He said something needed to be done to end his constituents suffering.
"We have some major issues with escapees victimising some members of my constituency. Some have been badly hurt. They have beaten up some of our old people and stolen their things. It has happened several times, so they must do something," said Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.
Lealailepule is advocating the return of the infamous cell number nine which was used to punish prisoners before human rights groups called for it to be decommissioned.
He said the safety of the public should come before the rights of offenders.
"The people in the prison, not all of them but some of these hardcore criminals doing such things, I mean, you have to do something to them. You talk about the rights of these few people but what about the rights of our people, the people that deserve to be protected," Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi said.