New sea-wall for American Samoa

Construction of 1 734 metres of seawall has already begun on the southern shore of Tutuila, American Samoa, Six separate sections are to be built within the next year at a cost of nearly $2 million or over $9OO a metre. The 7-11 metre wide, 3-4 metre high wall is designed to protect Samoa’s only existing road and major water line from nothing less than waves generated by hurricane force winds.

In planning the construetion of such an extensive seawall, the US Army Corps of Engineers conducted a study costing $76 300.

Though the road that the seawall is designed to protect is in no danger from the nearby sea, the study dealt expansively with the chaos that could ensue if portions of the road were ever destroyed, and with the estimated cost of coping with such a disaster situation.

About 3 525 persons commute daily upon this 9 km stretch of road that provides them with their only link to

the town centre, the hospital, the Community College, and two out of the three high schools.

The flow of agricultural products, fuel, water, etc., is also heavy on this stretch of coastline. But, unless a hur ricane of a force that is esti mated to hit only once every 100 years, comes within the next year, American Samoa will escape all the envisioned inconveniences and expenses for centuries to come.

An area of 1.782 ha of nearshore land will be used for the materials consisting of stones weighing up to 1.814 tonnes. Portions of the coastal reef will be destroyed with the construction of this seawall, Erosion caused by wave ac tion now causes only minimal reef damage. The new seawall will halt this erosion, but at the same time, with its very existence, 7-11 metres of reef will be completely wiped out.

This seawall is one of many construction projects in progress on American Samoa, These projects create local jobs and the American Samoa

Government usually pays only half of the project’s cost yet the value of such projects is questionable, for the effect they have upon the fragile en vironment, the beauty of the island, and the way of life in Samoa is often massive and irrevocable.

But the Department of Pub lic Works, together with local labour, is involved in a pro ject which will benefit all seg ments of the population. A distance of 4.8 km of sidewalks already stretch around the island with another 3.048 km planned to be laid. Federal safety funds of $lBO 000 have been granted for this project. Safety for school children and for anyone walking along the busy road has been increased.

A warship

to Niue's rescue

The Canadian destroyer HMCS Restigouche sailed into Apia Harbour on Febru ary 8 a fight machine, and

three days later sailed out as a civilian cargo ship, writes Mike Field from Apia.

This was the result of an unusual link-up between the Canadian Government and the Western Samoa Govern ment to get urgently-needed food supplies to drought striken Niue.

Niue had appealed to Western Samoa for bananas, taro and taro shoots, and New Zealand agreed to provide the shipping transport. However, this could not be done in time, and the Restigouche appeared to be the only answer. So, with the approval of Ottawa 420 cases of taro and bananas were loaded onto the after deck of the destroyer in an area usually used for anti-sub marine work.

On February 11, the ship sailed and on February 12 hove to off Alofi, Niue, to unload the cargo. The ship had only four hours to get the cargo over the side and into lighters, before having to sail on to meet New Zealand Navy units.

A larger consignment of taro and bananas will go to Niue on board the Upolu- Savai’i ferry Queen Salamasina.