A contingent from the Wellington-based Samoa Advisory Council this week presented five containers of tsunami aid assistance as well as NZ$ 66,850 to the government.

The assistance was collected not only from the Samoan community in Wellington but, according to council president Afamasaga Maugaleo’o Afamasaga, many non-Samoans in the New Zealand capital who were struck by the tsunami devastation and the loss of lives in Samoa.

“Samoa is one big a family,” he told Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi Monday at his office during the presentation Monday. “When Samoa is hurt, we too feel the pain everywhere where there are Samoans. Whatever we have been able to provide, it’s in the name of all Samoans and friends of Samoa in Wellington.”

The assistance presented, Afamasaga said, was the end result of fundraising and aid drives organized by the council.

He also took the opportunity to apologise to the Prime Minister about recent “inflammatory” comments made by Porirua deputy mayor Litea Ah Hoy:

“As you know Tuilaepa, like everywhere else in the world, while some people contribute with an open heart, there are others who try to discredit the cause for their own selfish intrests. It’s just sad that in this case, it’s another Samoan.

“We just want you (Prime Minister) to know that we in Wellington have the utmost confidence in your government and how aid and money is being distributed to those affected by the tsunami. We do not pick up rubbish from newspapers.”

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi thanked the council for their support and asked them to relay his compliments to the communities in New Zealand. “My door is always open to your council on whatever is in the best interest of community in Wellington.”

The Prime Minister keeps in regular contact with Samoans in Wellington through a weekly radio programme aired live Thursday night on Samoa Capital Radio (SCR) where he provides an update of goings on in Samoa.

The five containers were stored at the National Disaster Office compound at Tuanaimato and its contents this week distributed to the affected areas by government.

The contingent also handed over a separate monetary contribution of US$15,000 from the Wellington-based Embassy of Thailand as well as other money assistance from the Wellington Maori community and the New Zealand Indian community

[NOTE: Samoa News was granted permission by Le Savali newspaper to reprint this story from Samoa.]