The village of Falease’ela, Lefaga in Samoa has rejected a big money offer to build a new hydro power project using their legendary Liua-le-vai-o-Sina River.
Government owned Electric Power Corporation had approached the village council to use the river for power generation and had been in negotiations until the village decided against the offer.
According to the Samoa Observer newspaper a village spokesperson and president of their conservation committee, Talaolevavau Ualesi confirmed the meetings had taken place.
She said they had met with EPC who offered half a million tala a year and then later on $8,000 a year.
EPC had apparently laid out the benefits and rewards if the village agreed with the proposal.
Talaolevavau said they village had also done their own research visiting places that already have hydro electric operations.
She said this was when they saw the impact on the environment if they agreed with EPC.
So in the end the village said no to the proposal.
“Our village do not value money, but we value the environment,” said Talaolevavau.
