Pacific

Samoan MP urges government to reconsider relocation of Sogi village

11:42 am on 21 January 2009

Samoa's associate minister of Tourism and Trade has called on the government to reconsider its plan to relocate the village of Sogi to government land near Tafaigata prison.

The shift is being proposed as Sogi is regularly flooded.

Hans Joachim Keil's call comes as negotiations between the village and the government fails to reach a solution despite some Sogi families willing to accept the decision.

Many Sogi villagers took part in the protest march to free Mr Keil when the MP was arrested by the US authorities last year on immigration charges which were later withdrawn.

Mr Keil has told parliament the government should consider the generations of families which have been raised in Sogi.