Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa Photo: Samoa Government
Samoa's Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa says a question mark hangs over whether work related to the Manawanui disaster will pause during King Charles' visit for the Commonwealth leaders' meeting.
About 60 New Zealand Defence Force personnel and specialists are working alongside local authorities after the sinking of the Royal New Zealand Navy vessel on 5 October.
Officials estimate that approximately 200,000 litres of diesel has leaked from the vessel.
Fiamē told RNZ Pacific on Tuesday there are no talks of the Manawanui being salvaged this week, as leaders from 56 nations are set to gather in Apia for the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) next Monday.
Samoa Prime Minister reacts to Manawanui disaster
"There is a question that is being posed because whether the [salvage] work continues. Those are the issues that we need to [discuss] because it is a security issue," she said.
Fiamē said the latest information she had was that the tank that was leaking oil had been blocked.
Villagers from coastal areas near the shipwreck are demanding compensation from the New Zealand government, saying that their livelihood has been affected.
However, the prime minister said clear evidence of environmental impacts would be needed before a conversation on compensation can be had.
"We do have to have clear evidence of any damage or impact on the environment and on the sea life. So, any question about compensation is something a long way down the line, if at all," Fiamē said.
"It is going to take a little while before they can determine exactly what happens to the ship itself.
"Our attitude is, we've got to first contain [the] situation. See what the process is…whether the ship is salvaged at all. All those questions are still up in the air."
Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Defence Force
'Major, major, major problem', ex-prime minister says
As the locals gear up for CHOGM, they are also preparing to set their alarm clocks for their annual cultural event, which involves catching the Palolo reef worm.
Just before dawn during the end of October, locals flock to the reefs with their nets, buckets, and lanterns in paopao (canoes) or on foot to haul in the tails of these reef worms.
The villages and districts of Safata, Siumu, and Tafitoala will be missing out this year, possibly going further out at sea to fish, as in the aftermath of the Manawanui sinking.
Former Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told RNZ Pacific the affected villages are meeting to discuss the approach to be taken, especially drawing the government's attention to the challenge that they now face.
"As you know the rising of Palolo this famous cuisine seven days after the full moon is expected to occur on the 20th of this month," he said.
"This means the village will lose what they can get regarding the Palolo rise."
Tuilaepa said there were many questions that need answers about why the boat was on the reef at this time, particularly when the weather is unfavourable in the evenings.
"At the present time, the government is faced with numerous issues, particularly in respect of the organisation necessary for a smooth running of CHOGM," he said.
"But it does not excuse the government from addressing this problem. It is a major, major, major problem for Samoa, the protection of the environment.
He claims there is absolute silence from the government to concerns raised by him, which he said was "completely contrary to the announcements by [Fiamē] that her government will be guided by the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability".
However, Fiamē said she the government has been there from day one of the disaster.
"I don't know what he means by the government. We talk government to government, but the actual practical application of what needs to be done is being done by the Samoan agencies, together with New Zealand agencies," she said.
The HMNZS Manawanui, aground in Samoa. Photo: Supplied / Profile Boats
'This isn't huge' - expert
Meanwhile, Nick Ling, associate professor at University of Waikato's School of Science said even though 5000 square meters - about a football field - sounds like a lot it "is a pretty small footprint".
"Reefs do get damaged naturally anyway. Things like cyclones can cause significant natural damage to reefs, so in the scheme of things this isn't huge."
However, he said the reef can can take a long time to repair itself.
Professor Ling said he did not think the size of the damage to the reef would affect the number of fish in the area.
He said the ship could potentially create a new habitat for marine creatures, but it generally needed to be planned.
"The ships do not last forever of course, they do eventually, kind of break down and break up, whether or not this would be a good habitat it is really hard to say," he said.