Dear Editor,

Re: When evil flourishes in Christian state Samoa 

I grew up very poor in the town of Apia, Samoa. I watched things erected in the name of development in Samoa, fortunate others with successes in businesses made gain in fortunes, some of my friend's families became members of Parliament and their lives suddenly changed, with stores going up, businesses, lands, brick houses and money but my life was still the same, stagnated, poor and hungry. 

I went to school hungry, I learned quickly how to beg other students for food - pies and ice pops, popular on the menu back in the day. I became good at it. I remember the last period of classes was the hardest because my mind would wonder what is home to eat. 

I would have this massive headache and when it was time to walk home I dreaded it. It was a long agonizing walk. FYI, I paid for school with scholarships so parents didn't have to find money for fees, my other siblings were not so lucky so most of them left school while at the age of 13-15.

Today, it is someone else's battle but it is a very familiar one. It means the stuff is perpetual. There is no progress. 

They say education is the only way to upward mobility, what a load of hogwash. 

I've been through all that it does not work. My life is just an inch away from living on the street. Many of our lives are not any better. Just look around. This system we so-called the democratic system of capitalism it has mutated into a monster that is controlled by a handful and it is true for Samoa and the rest of the world. 

Each country has its own 1-10% who take control of the wealth of each nation. Samoa is no different. It has been like that since the first ever Samoa independence in 1962. 

Things were a little better in the beginning and then it suddenly turned into a rat race, where a few would get rich while the rest of Samoa eat scum. 

We can read and write this English language. Our knowledge is broadened of the things around the world. But money seems to be running faster than ever before and it gets really hard to get enough. 

Now, that we got newly proposed parties entering the arena of politics in Samoa, would they be able to help the poor in this country?

Or would it be just the opportunity for them to push their own hidden agendas through, it remains unseen. 

What is sure is that our Samoan youngins are watching and reading this from their cheap devices with just enough credits to go on Facebook and are learning quicker than teachers at school are teaching them. Much better educational tool than the ones we had 20 years ago. 

I say this, the only way to upward mobility for all is fairness for all and equality that comes from a community that can work together for everyone's proportionate gain and together no one should be poor or richer than the other. 

Samoa used to be very good at this kind of lifestyle and then we had to adopt an alien concept and look at where it is taking us. 

Tagi A. Mativa