Samoa's prime minister has insisted his government is able to service its growing foreign debt, despite warnings from institutions including the Asian Development Bank.
In a recent report, the bank said Samoa had 149 soft loan agreements worth more than $US136 million.
But Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said Samoa was able to service these debts.
He told TV1 that the loans were funding essential infrastructure, and that if the government listened to all the reports, there would be no roads, airports or hospitals.