Government assistance

Eleven non-government organisations will receive 20,000 tālā each to further improve their prevention and response services to end domestic violence.

The Minister of Women, Community and Social Development, Leota Laki Lamositele, said although there have been many programmes and efforts to alleviate and address the issue, the number of reported cases continue to increase.

He said most incidents relate to domestic violence and intimate partner violence.

Last month the government signed an agreement for 500,000 tala with the Samoa Victims Support Group.

The opposition party said this would enable people to get immediate government assistance.

The NFP said Rakiraki, parts of Qamea which has been hit by landslides, and other areas should be declared disaster zones.

The party said there should be rehabilitation packages for crop and house damage and it's called for army engineers to clean up, distribute rations and repair badly damaged infrastructure.

It said the town and district of Ra has suffered millions of dollars worth of damage.