The Government through the Samoa Land Corporation has allocated more than 293 thousand tala towards the recovery efforts of 293 vendors affected by a fire at the Savalolo flea market.
"We have directed SLC to allocated more than a quarter million, about more than 293 thousand tala to help with the people’s rebuilding efforts, just to help them get back on their feet," said Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
The assistance that was approved by the Prime minister and his Cabinet will see the handover of one thousand tala to each of the stall owners.
Loop Samoa understands though, it is not only the Government’s assistance but as well as two other charity foundations established for this cause.
The Samoa Hotel Association together with chartered accounting firm, Betham & Company, have teamed up with local banks to offer hope to registered vendors affected.
The group which is called the 'Samoa Offering Hope' initiative has met to sort a legal structure for the project that will see the association’s members and stakeholders raise funds for assistance of stall owners.
The effort will run for a period of one month at the end of which the funds will be distributed. A final report with full disclosure will be published in the local newspapers.
All monies will be distributed to the victims of the fire whilst the facilitation costs will be absorbed by the Samoa Tourism Authority.
Loop Samoa also understands a local jewelry store, trading in used goods but in good condition will resell their goods with all the profit going towards assisting the stall owners.
This is only part of the help.
Some stall owners have been granted free time to operate from the tents in town, and some are offered the choice to operate from Vaitele until they are able to get back on their feet.
Six tents are already up at the spot where the burnt down market was at, and all are to be separated from a food court shelter being built there as well.
"We are going to make sure they get back to where they were before the incident," said PM Tuilaepa.