Tsunami victims share frustration

Published: 6:35PM Monday November 30, 2009 Source: ONE News

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Two months after several tsunamis swept across the Pacific, some people in Samoa say the rebuilding process is not moving fast enough.

One of the worst affected areas, Lalomanu village, is still littered with debris from the massive waves.

Ben Taufua, who lost 14 family members in the disaster, says everyday he sees the destruction and is reminded of what he lost.

"This whole rebuilding thing is critical to our healing, because without it I look at these things and it hurts."

He says much of the clean up efforts have been done by the locals.

Australian divers cleaned out the sea area and Taufua's hired the heavy machinery to rebuild the area his family's beach accommodation fales were on.

"We're surviving day by day. It's very raw, but we're getting better," he says

The Samoan government admits it needs to do more to help.

"In terms of the actual clean up on the beaches, we recognise that we need to work together with the people who have the land rights to actaully move a little bit quicker than we have," says acting Prime Minister Misa Telefoni Retzlaff.

It has offered $18,000 worth of building materials for each family who lost a home in the tsunami and so far 90 have taken up the offer.

The Samoan cabinet is also considering whether to give uninsured beach fale operators financial assistance to help them win back tourists.

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