The more competitors and more countries showing interest in Samoa’s Tui Samoa cable, the better chances of getting good, efficient, fast and cheap internet connection, according to Samoa's Minister for Communications, Information and Technology (MCIT)
Minister Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau. chairs the Samoa Submarine Cable Company (SSCC) committee established in September last year to operate Samoa’s cable project.
Tui Samoa cable will officially start work in May 2016 and already interest from other countries like Wallis & Futuna and Fiji have been noted. The cable which will be laid alongside Savai’i Island and passes near Wallis and Futuna and on to Fiji.
“Fiji has asked to connect a line from Samoa’s cable to one of their islands, Vanua Levu,” said Tuisugaletaua.
He said the more countries wishing to connect to Samoa’s cable the cheaper it is for Samoa’s internet connection. From Fiji, the cable continues on America and Hawai’i to the Southern Cross where the world connects via cables.
Tuisugaletaua said the SSCC committee wants an independent company to monitor and operate the cable, hence the recruitment of the three private sector companies, Computer Service Ltd, Digicel Samoa and Bluesky Samoa as partners.
The Government then brings in three Government organisations, the Samoa National Provident Fund, Unit Trust Organisation of Samoa, and Samoa Life Assurance Authority to be part of the company.
“The reason from recruiting these government bodies is because their financial situation is stable and wish to help with this project,” said the Minister.
The project will cost US$50 million with funding assistance from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, Australia and the Samoan Government.
SSCC has donated $8.2 million, ADB $18.million, Samoa $5.7 million, Australia $1million and the World Bank $16 million. Tuisugaletaua said that the ADB and World Bank contributions to the project will be in the form of grants.
The plan for the project has already been mapped out and it is just a matter of executing the plan once a contractor is secured to carry out the work, said Tuisuga.
So far seven companies have tendered bids for the work and the bidding period closes on the 2nd February 2015. All biddings are done electronically which is something new to Samoa.
“After the bids are opened, an evaluation will be conducted to identify a good and cheap bidder to carry out the work,” said Tuisuga