Samoans must make a stand to protect what is rightfully theirs.

When it comes to businesses, Livingstone Taveuveu, of Satalo Falealili, said the influx of foreign-owned companies must be stopped.

He doesn’t support the idea of having any more Chinese businesses allowed to be set up in the villages.

“A lot of our people support and prefer to buy from Chinese shops because of their affordable products,” he tells Village Voice.

“But I don’t support them being here and if there are future plans to bring in more Chinese businesses, I fully don’t support that either.

“You know, we all know their products are affordable but those products don’t even last two weeks and that’s a waste of money. 

He went on: “What about our land? I mean look at how fast it has been taken over by foreigners.

“Has the government thought about this country as they sell off most of our land to these foreigners?

“All this land, this is for the future of Samoa, this is the future of our families and so why is it so easy to just give it all away?

“These are all the questions that we should be asking ourselves because we are now in times of trouble.

“That is the reason why I’m not a fan of the Chinese businesses here, because I’m standing up for what I believe in and I’m protecting what is rightfully ours.”

Mr. Taveuveu, 52, is a hardworking father. He works for a lawn mowing business at Samamea Fagaloa.

“I admit that the cost of living is expensive and that’s probably one of the reasons Samoans prefer to buy from Chinese shops.

“Personally, I would rather work hard to get what we need from our own local businesses and you know, still feel like I get to keep what is ours than just losing who we are as people, and losing our home to people that were never here to being with.

“I try my best to work hard to pay my children’s education and deal with the high cost of living because I believe my kids could be the future for this country and probably one of the people who will fight to bring to life what I believe in; that all this -- everything in this country -- is ours and should only be ours.

“That’s why I humbly plead to the government to make this right, to protect the people of our country from a future that they won’t get freedom from.”