The real cost of Casino: Homes, infrastructural challenges, church

The 500 acres required for the casino at Mulivai will cost some families their homes, the leader of the Opposition Party, Palusalue Fa’apo II says.

As a matter of fact, he says it might even cost the Catholic Church in the village its place of worship.

“There is not enough land on the beachfront property for five hundred acres,” says the Safata MP.

“The amount of land required means some families will lose their land. The Catholic church might even have to demolish their building to make way for the casino.”

Speaking during its weekly press conference, Palusalue said the Tautua Samoa party’s views of the so- called “benefits” of casinos in Samoa differs greatly from that of Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi. He was responding to claims by Prime Minister Tuilaepa that the casinos will bring “many benefits for our locals.”

Palusalue disagrees. He accuses the Government of going ahead with its plans without consulting the very people who will be affected by it all.

“This is exactly what you call taking the chariot before of the horse,” he says. “I don’t think the government has thought this through and looked at the implications of these casinos on our country.”

“They are blinded by the money. Money is okay but what will be the cost to us as a people?”

Palusalue says he is still in shock that his constituency will be the home of a 500-room resort and casino.

“First of all we are shocked to learn that my constituency is the proposed location for this monstrosity and secondly, our village has not even been consulted.”

Member of Parliament for A’ana Alofi No. 3 Toesulusulu Cedric Schuster says the Casino will create infrastructural challenges that the Government is ill prepared to deal with.