MPs shocked by devastation in Samoa

Labour MPs Luamanuvao Winnie Laban and Chris Carter say they are shocked and distressed by the devastation in Samoa in the aftermath of yesterday’s earthquake and tsunami.

At 5:30am today they attended the funeral of prominent Samoan businesswoman, and much-loved member of Mrs Laban’s family, Tui Annandale. Mrs Annandale attended school and university in New Zealand and owned a resort that was popular with New Zealand tourists.

This morning locals are showing Winnie Laban and Chris Carter the devastated south coast of Upolu and Winnie Laban will be meeting more family members.

Samoa’s Prime Minister, Hon Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, has requested an urgent meeting to brief the New Zealand MPs and this is scheduled for 3:30pm today.

Chris Carter says the MPs plan to report back to the New Zealand Government afterwards. An informal discussion already held with the Prime Minister suggested shelter and food were important priorities.

“I’m urging New Zealanders to donate generously to organisations collecting to help fund the relief effort. Everyone in Samoa is involved in the huge task of cleaning up in the wake of this disaster, but additional resources are sorely needed,” Winnie Laban says.

Chris Carter said he would be mucking in and helping with the clean-up and the pair would also be liaising as best as possible between families in New Zealand and Samoa.

Telecommunications services into and out of Samoa however remain patchy. To help keep the New Zealand Pacific community in touch with what’s happening in Samoa, Winnie and Chris will send regular Twitter updates throughout the day to http://twitter.com/labourpacific.

They will also post updates to the Labour Red Alert Blog at http://www.redalert.org.nz.

ENDS

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