“A DISASTER: WESTSIDE ROADS”

Dear Editor:
 
How many more suspension systems, axles, sway bars and blown tires do the westside drivers need to suffer through before their roads get repaired or replaced? Not with dirt and gravel lasting a day or two at most, but properly fixed.
 
One of our representatives is trying hard but letters and meetings with PW are not solving the problem. The PW Directors have been drawing up 5 year plans, phase plans, etc. for the past twenty years, while the roads were constantly deteriorating under their noses without any maintenance whatsoever.
 
Millions upon millions of dollars for road maintenance generated through taxes were dumped into the General Fund to cover personnel costs, while the roads became our major storm drainage spillways, eventually eroding large sections — and in cases like Vaitogi — entire roads.
 
Year after year PW saying these roads are in the 5-year plans or are scheduled for the next phase, which never came about and now it's the same rhetoric.
 
One of our representatives has put her faith in Moses. Evidently believing that he'll part the roads and get rid of all the storm drainage replacing the water with first class asphalt, saving her constituents.
 
Truth is, the FONO and ASG need to re-program funds or lay off excess personnel from throughout the government to have enough revenue for road repairs, or very soon this government for the "people" will have all of them walking instead of driving!! 
 
Jim Brittle
 
(Editor’s Note: Next week is supposedly D-Day, when Phase 2 of the road repairs (potholes) will begin, as reported in Samoa News. Here’s hoping! ra)