Community
Satupa’itea MP Hails $1m Project Practical Impacts
By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 17 April 2025 – The Satupa’itea MP and former HRPP Cabinet Minister, Lautafi Selafi Purcell has hailed the positive social and economic impacts of the $1m District Development Project and says there is no reason for the project not to continue.
Satupaitea is one of 5 districts that signed their 3rd million of the project yesterday.
Lautafi who was a former Minister of State Owned Enterprises, gave his views not as an Opposition MP but his own personal assessment as a Member of Parliament.
“For me, there is no reason to stop the project just because it was another Government’s initiative; there is always something good and if another Government has something better to offer, then so be it. But for me, utilise the opportunity provided to develop our villages and our district,” said Lautafi.
The $1m tala District Development Project was initiated by the FAST Government that provides each of the 51 electoral constituencies $1m annually for projects the districts identify and approve for funding.
While there have been delays mainly due to acquittals and auditing of expended funds, several of the 51 districts are now drawing their 3rd million including Satupa’itea that signed the Funding Agreement yesterday.
Member of Parliament, Lautafi Selafi OPurcell with the Satupaitea District Development Committee representatives.
For his own district, Lautafi told Talamua that the first $2m had funded school buildings, agricultural projects, direct assistance to families but there were issues that caused delays due to the project guidelines not being followed.
He did however say the challenge is that there is so much to do but the funds are limited.
“We have more needs than we can supply, but the opportunities offered by the project gave us the financial options to fund projects such as renovating of our primary schools, agriculture development, health, and helping parents pay their children’s school fees,” he said.
Asked how their 3rd million would be utilised, Lautafi said they have extended their support through the project to churches, people with disability, Women’s Committee and households.
The district is also looking at developing the Olo Plantation established during the colonial administrations, as an heritage tourism project.
“It is not easy to sustain and maintain such a development but it’s another avenue we can generate money for the district,” said Lautafi.
He commends the $1 million District Development Project for many reasons.
Lautafi, said Satupa’itea, for the first time, had a Talomua show where the district came together to showcase their agricultural products.
“Our first $1million was used to launch our first Talomua,” he said.
Five districts signed 3rd Million of District Development Project
The five districts that signed their 3rd million yesterday included Vaimauga 1, Palauli2, Satupaitea, Gagaifomauga 2 and Faasaleleaga 5.
Each received the first tranche of $700,000 which includes the $160,000 for their office operations and $540,000 for development projects.
Each district was endorsed after the Projects Steering Committee assessed their audited report.
Currently, 25 districts have signed the agreement for their 3rd million and once their audited report are submitted, they will receive the second tranche and balance of $300,000 of the third of their $5m project.