The Samoa Government has assured that it will soon move to protect crucial water catchment and watershed areas as concerns are raised with the volume and quality of water received at hydro dams and drinking water reservoirs, particularly in the town area.

“Water is a public resource and these water catchment areas will be protected,” said Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has begun to draw up plans to nationalize these crucial wetlands.

“We (government) has to take over those areas. Because water is too crucial to the sustainability of our community, our country. We do not want to be blamed by future generations when grave water shortages occur because we failed to protect the water catchment areas.”

The costs that could be incurred now in terms of compensating land , he said, is nothing compared to a future without water.

The Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said: “There are various possible sources of funding for such a programme. It could be funded through our (Climate Change ) Adaptation programme or through Carbon Credits gained from protecting green areas.”

And once these areas are nationalized, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said, government will enforce the laws to its full extent.

“The areas- under the Parks and Reserves Act – will be strictly monitored. Any form of farming, deforesting, even bird hunting, will be prohibited. Government will be employing park rangers to carry this out,” he said.

“Government will not be criticized for not doing enough to protect our forests and water catchment areas.”

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said that the water catchment areas are already protected under the Water Resources Act 2008, the Reserves and Parks Act 1970 and the Taking of Lands Act 1964.

With forest protection will be a re-afforestation programme carried out simultaneously by government.

“Farmers will be encouraged through a set of incentives packages to plant fruit and native trees. Special emphasis will be on the redevelopment of our traditional fruit trees such as cocoa, coffee and coconut as well as replanting native hardwoods and high-yield timber such as sandalwood in the tree-denuded forest lands.

“The focus will be on small scale farming. Perhaps two to three acre plots for a father and son to take care. That is the reality of the rural household these days as everybody else either migrates to town or overseas. The large scale commercial farms of the past are no longer viable today. The costs involved – particularly labour – makes it uneconomical.”

Government, through the Education Department, will also be carrying out a nationwide environment awareness programme in schools.

“We want to see environment and environment issues being taught as a subject throughout schools – as part of the standard curricula. Young people should grow up with an awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.”

Electric Power Corporation general manager Muaausa Joseph Walter and Managing Directing of the Samoa Water Authority last week revealed the continuing water crisis at hydro dams and water reservoirs in the country – now barely out of the wet seas.
The declining volume and quality of water is very noticeable today, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said.

“Rivers and streams that used to flow throughout the year now only flow for a few months when it really rains. There has also been a lot of flash flooding every time it rains. All these point to the fact that there is too much unnecessary clearing of forests in the uplands.”

Tupuola Terry Tavita is editor of the Samoan government newspaper Savali.