By Tupuola Terry Tavita

Government officially took delivery of the new Fugalei market Monday morning.

Delivering the keynote address Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi sublated into lyrical of the new marketplace;

“Bless you market. A jewel whom much has been said about. Some good, most, downright ugly. Yet, you surprise us all. You stand here big, tall and beautiful in all your wondrous glory. To defy your many critics leaving them in utter embarrassing shame.”

The Prime Minister thanked the Minister of the Accident Compensation Corporation, Lautafi Selafi Feo Purcell, the ACC board and staff for their perseverance.

“This market is especially designed to suit our township, the weather and climate conditions in Samoa and, especially, the nature of people.

There will be no more shops around it that will hinder the flow of fresh air into this market. There will be no walls so that sellers and buyers can move freely from east, west, north and south.

“It will be circumvented with a road so that drivers don’t have to get out of their cars. They just shout out what they want. A bunch of talo, a bunch of bananas and the crops will immediately fly into the back of their pickups. “

“Nobody will need to sell their items outside in the sun and rain. They will all be sheltered in here, which is twice the size of the old market. So no seller will get sick anymore.”

The Prime Minister said the initial plan was a two-storeyed walled marketplace at a cost of $42 million.

“However, when Cabinet had a look at those concept plans, it was declined for this more practical single-floor structure. At a cost of no more than $10 million.”

The project was contracted to Qingdao Construction with subcontracts to Rasmussen Designs and Bluebird Construction.

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