The promises
- Under way
SAT$50 million for new ferry services
One SAT$16.8 million cargo and vehicle vessel in service from September 2026, about a third of the promised sum; no SAT$50 million appropriation and no fare change.
Good for aigaRead more
- Promised
- Put SAT$50 million towards new ferry services between Upolu and Savaiʻi and between Upolu and American Samoa, including travel options for emergencies; the Samoa Observer reported the plan as including new vessels 12. No deadline was given 1.
- What happened
- Samoa Shipping Corporation commissioned MV Fotu o Samoa III at Salelologa on 14 September 2026; it is a 45.5 metre landing craft for cargo and vehicles with accommodation for 12 passengers, bought through a SAT$16.8 million financing arrangement with UTOS and Bank South Pacific, and sailing schedules were still to be announced 38. Talamua's headline says SAT$16.8 million but its text says SAT$16.2 million; the price is reported two ways in the same report 3. Talamua says the vessel can be chartered to neighbouring islands such as American Samoa, Tokelau and Tonga; Samoa Global News says it is intended for regional services to the Cook Islands, Manuʻa, Tutuila and Tokelau; no regular American Samoa schedule has been confirmed 38. Neither the report of the October 2025 budget nor the May 2026 budget address mentions a SAT$50 million ferry appropriation 45. Separately, on 10 April 2026 the prime minister said the inherited Aurora V ferry was not suitable for Samoa and would be finished for lease or sale, putting money spent at about SAT$20 million 6; in June 2026 former minister Loau Keneti Sio called in Parliament for a commission of inquiry into it 9.
- Impact on families
- A vessel is in service, but passenger numbers and any household saving are unreported 3. The operator's published Mulifanua to Salelologa fare is SAT$10 one way per adult and SAT$5 per child aged 2 to 12, with vehicles from SAT$80; the publication does not show a fare cut caused by the new vessel 7. SSC's fleet page lists five vessels and does not yet include Fotu o Samoa III 10. What would show delivery: a second vessel or an American Samoa schedule, and SSC passenger and cancellation figures.
- Cost
- SAT$50 million one-off, the party's figure, about 4% of 2026/27 budgeted receipts; the one vessel delivered is reported at SAT$16.8 million (SAT$16.2 million in the same report's text), financed through UTOS and Bank South Pacific rather than appropriated 358.
- Verdict for families
- Good for aiga
- Can it be done?
- Doable
- Long term
- Good long term
- Who deserves the credit
-
Shared credit
In November 2024, under the Fiamē government, the shipping minister led the heads of Samoa Shipping Corporation, Samoa Shipping Services and the ports authority on a scoping mission to Australia to buy a ferry to replace MV Lady Samoa on the Mulifanua to Salelologa route, and the vessel delivered was financed through UTOS and BSP, not by this government's budget 1238. This government's part is the commissioning in September 2026 and the decision to drop the inherited Aurora V 36.
- Who gains
- Savaiʻi households, farmers and traders moving goods and vehicles across the strait, on a route where the adult fare is SAT$10 and a car from SAT$80 7.
- Who pays
- Samoa Shipping Corporation and its financiers UTOS and BSP carry the SAT$16.8 million, and the public has already spent about SAT$20 million on the Aurora V 368.
- Assessment
- The promise is affordable: SAT$50 million is a one-off sum of about 4% of a year's receipts, and the first vessel was financed through UTOS and BSP without a budget line 358. The Savaiʻi crossing is everyday transport for rural families and their goods, and in early 2025 the existing fleet needed emergency engine repairs, had weather cancellations and a temporary cut in passenger capacity on MV Lady Samoa IV, so added capacity is a lasting gain if the vessel is maintained 711. The risk is in procurement, not purpose: about SAT$20 million went on the Aurora V, which never sailed for Samoa, and the new vessel's price is reported two ways in one article 36. A cargo and vehicle vessel helps Savaiʻi freight and farmers more than foot passengers, whose fare is unchanged.
Sources (12)
- Laaulialemalietoa Secures his Seat with Ease as FAST Numbers Start to Stack Up
- What the three major parties are promising Samoa
- $16.8 Million Fotu o Samoa III Ferry launched
- Minister of Finance Tables $1.24bn Talā Peoples Budget
- Minister of Finance Hon Mulipola Anarosa Budget Address 2026/2027
- PM says Government will move to Lease or Sell the $20 million Failed Ferry Purchase
- Timetable & Fares DOMESTIC
- MV Fotu-o-Samoa III Blessed and Commissioned Into Service
- Former Minister calls for Commissions of Inquiry into EPC & $20M Catamaran Boat
- Our Vessels
- Public Bodies Performance Report, January to March 2025
- Scoping Mission for New Inter-Island ferry for Savaii
- Under way
Restart domestic flights between Upolu and Savaiʻi
Maota reopened 8 October 2026 with daily flights; Asau is still to come; runway and lighting upgrades pending.
Good for aigaRead more
- Promised
- Restart domestic flights linking Fagaliʻi, Faleolo and Savaiʻi; Maota and Asau were the presumed Savaiʻi airfields 1. No amount or date was given 1.
- What happened
- Maota airport reopened on 8 October 2026 after scheduled flights ended in 2000, and Samoa Airways began Fagaliʻi to Maota flights 2. The prime minister described Maota as the first step and Asau as next 3. Tar-sealing of the runway and lighting for 24-hour access were still planned 2. Talamua reported the airline had two aircraft in service, one on the Tutuila route and one for Savaiʻi, with a third Twin Otter in Canada for repair after an accident in American Samoa 2. On 9 October 2026 Talamua reported an emergency patient transfer from Savaiʻi delayed for several hours when an aircraft did not arrive; the prime minister intervened and the transfer happened late that morning 4.
- Impact on families
- At reopening Talamua reported two flights daily Monday to Saturday and one on Sunday, with a promotional fare of SAT$120 one way and SAT$240 return 2. A 23 September 2026 announcement had quoted SAT$200 one way and SAT$400 return on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule; the two reports disagree and the later one describes launch-day terms 5. Passenger numbers and reliability are unreported; the delayed medical transfer qualifies the access claim 4. What would show delivery: monthly passenger counts and on-time figures, and Asau flights.
- Cost
- Not costed; the Maota upgrade cost and any subsidy to the route are unpublished. The launch fare was SAT$120 one way 2.
- Verdict for families
- Good for aiga
- Can it be done?
- Doable
- Long term
- Mixed long term
- Who deserves the credit
-
Shared credit
Reopening Maota was this government's decision, but the flights use Twin Otters the airline already owned and overhauled with its own revenues in 2025 and 2026, and who paid for the terminal and runway work has not been published 26.
- Who gains
- Savaiʻi families needing urgent travel to Apia, and travellers who can pay SAT$120 one way against a SAT$10 ferry fare 29.
- Who pays
- Samoa Airways, which is government-owned, carries any losses on the route, and no cost of the Maota upgrade has been published 28.
- Assessment
- This was deliverable with what the airline already had: Samoa Airways took back its second overhauled Twin Otter in July 2026, with the two overhauls costing about SAT$22 million from the airline's own revenues, and it flew 12,700 passengers in the July to September 2025 quarter, so the route needed a usable runway more than new aircraft 67. The long-term question is whether a SAT$120 fare covers a Twin Otter route to a small island market without a subsidy, and no cost or subsidy figure has been published; the airline's 2024/25 profit followed a SAT$55 million government write-off 8. A flight of 10 to 15 minutes matters most for medical transfers and older or sick travellers who cannot manage the hour-long ferry, so even a thin route is a public good, but the 9 October delayed transfer shows the service is not yet reliable 24.
Sources (9)
- Laaulialemalietoa Secures his Seat with Ease as FAST Numbers Start to Stack Up
- Maota Airport Reopens After 26 Years
- “Maota Is the First Step, Asau Is Next”: PM Reopens Savai‘i Air Link
- Patient emergency transfer from Savaii delayed due to administrative setback
- Samoa Airways to Resume Flights between Upolu and Savai’i
- Samoa Airways completes second Twin Otter overhaul
- Public Bodies Performance Report, July to September 2025
- Samoa Airways Reports FY2025 Profit, Plans Another Aircraft Overhaul
- Timetable & Fares DOMESTIC
- Broken
New aircraft company flying by the end of 2026
The end-2026 target was withdrawn by the finance minister within two months; no aircraft or company has appeared, though the date itself has not yet passed.
Cuts both waysRead more
- Promised
- A post-election commitment, not in the July 2025 manifesto; it is tracked because the government set the date itself. On 19 November 2025 the prime minister said Samoa could expect two new aircraft for the national airline before the end of 2026, to fly to New Zealand, Australia and the United States 1. On 13 December 2025 he said the government was preparing to establish a new aircraft company by the end of 2026, with detailed plans to come in the June 2026 budget and smaller aircraft for regional routes 2. Reports did not settle whether this meant a separate company or the Samoa Airways relaunch 2.
- What happened
- On 2 February 2026 the finance minister said no aircraft would arrive in 2026 and preparation could take one to two years 3. The government's February 2026 investor notice names the share issuer as the national airline currently trading as Samoa Airways, not a new company 4. On 20 April 2026 the Samoa Observer reported that the initial timeline for the aircraft had been the end of 2026 and that the minister now placed it in a five-year programme 11. In June 2026 the government reaffirmed the relaunch but said its funding strategy and fleet and route options were still being developed 5. The 2026/27 budget address, where the prime minister had said details would come, does not mention an airline appropriation 7.
- Impact on families
- No passengers carried and no fare effect, because no company or aircraft exists. Parliament debated the plan in June 2026; the opposition cited ADB advice that it was not the right time for Samoa to start its own airline, which is a competing assessment, not a completed viability study 6. What would show delivery: a registered company, an aircraft on the register and a first scheduled flight.
- Cost
- Not costed by government. The finance minister's estimate is SAT$30 million a year to run jets, excluding aircraft, against SAT$1,284.7 million in budgeted 2026/27 receipts 37.
- Verdict for families
- Cuts both ways
- Can it be done?
- Not realistic
- Long term
- Bad long term
- Who deserves the credit
-
This government's decision
The end-2026 target was this government's own announcement in November and December 2025, and its withdrawal in February 2026 was also its own 123.
- Who gains
- Nobody yet; the announced two aircraft and company do not exist, and passengers would gain only if fares fell once flights began 13.
- Who pays
- Savers in SNPF, ACC and UTOS and small investors would carry the risk of the airline the company is meant to be, and taxpayers if it loses money as the earlier jet service did 48.
- Assessment
- The date could not be met: within eleven weeks of the announcement the minister responsible for paying for it said preparation would take one to two years 13. The long-term case is the same as for the SAT$300 million plan: the airline's previous jet operation left SAT$104 million in losses that government later absorbed by writing off SAT$55 million in loans, and the IMF has pointed to under-execution of capital spending and the need for better project appraisal and implementation 8910. Announcing a company and a date before the money, aircraft or structure existed raised expectations without a plan behind them.
Sources (11)
- Samoa can Expect Two New Aircrafts for International Routes before the End of 2026
- PM announces ministry name change, and new aircraft plans
- Planes cost $30M to operate, none expected this year
- Unit Trust of Samoa Facilitates Registrations for Samoa Airways Shareholding Initiative
- Samoa Government Reaffirms Commitment to National Airline Relaunch
- Samoa parliament debates plans to set up new airline
- Minister of Finance Hon Mulipola Anarosa Budget Address 2026/2027
- Minister explains Samoa Airways $104m losses and $85m debts
- Samoa Airways Reports FY2025 Profit, Plans Another Aircraft Overhaul
- 2026 Article IV Consultation for Samoa: IMF Staff Concluding Statement
- Aircraft part of five-year plan: Mulipola
- No sign yet
SAT$300 million to restart Samoa Airways international flights
Investor registration opened; no aircraft, no decision to buy or lease, no SAT$300 million in either budget.
Cuts both waysRead more
- Promised
- Invest SAT$300 million in Samoa Airways to restore international jet services, including buying aircraft 12. At the manifesto launch in Salelologa on 12 July 2025 the party proposed funding it through institutions such as SNPF, ACC and UTOS, with shares offered to the public and businesses 1. A campaign account said the aim included lower airfares 3. No delivery date was given 12.
- What happened
- On 12 February 2026 the government said Cabinet had approved UTOS to register prospective investors, with a SAT$500 minimum; money stays in an ordinary UTOS product until the airline can issue shares 4. On 2 February 2026 the finance minister said no aircraft would arrive in 2026, buying versus leasing was undecided and preparation could take one to two years 5. At a 17 April 2026 press conference she said the aircraft initiative was in the government's five-year programme and that dry and wet leases were being considered 6. The 2026/27 budget address, published 27 May 2026, does not mention an airline appropriation 7. In June 2026 the opposition's deputy leader told Parliament the plan was a financial risk and cited ADB advice; the prime minister rejected that advice and reaffirmed the commitment 8. On 26 June 2026 the Samoa Observer reported ADB meeting records warning that competing head to head with Air New Zealand could be financially devastating; the finance minister told Parliament there was no evidence of a direct warning, so the accounts disagree 10.
- Impact on families
- No new international jet service and no measured fare saving. The finance minister estimated SAT$30 million a year to run an international carrier, excluding the aircraft; that is an estimate, not spending 5. The statistics bureau's August 2026 CPI put return airfares to Pago Pago and Auckland 9.9% above August 2025 9. New airport charges from 1 March 2026, a SAT$47 rise in departure tax and a SAT$58 aerodrome levy, drew objections from airlines and raised the cost of flying before any new jet arrived 13. What would show delivery: a signed aircraft purchase or lease, a published route and fare schedule, and the airline's accounts.
- Cost
- SAT$300 million one-off, the party's figure, about 23% of the SAT$1,284.7 million in receipts budgeted for 2026/27; plus the finance minister's estimate of SAT$30 million a year to run an international carrier, excluding aircraft 57.
- Verdict for families
- Cuts both ways
- Can it be done?
- A stretch
- Long term
- Bad long term
- Who gains
- Travellers and tourism businesses would gain if fares fell and seats grew, but no fare cut has been shown and airfares were 9.9% higher in August 2026 than a year before 9.
- Who pays
- Pension and insurance savers through SNPF, ACC and UTOS, small investors putting in SAT$500 or more, and taxpayers if losses repeat, as they did when government wrote off SAT$55 million of the airline's loans 1412.
- Assessment
- The last time Samoa Airways flew jets, under HRPP, the minister told Parliament in 2023 of SAT$104 million in losses between 2018 and 2022 and SAT$85 million in debts, and the airline's 2024/25 profit of SAT$11 million came after government wrote off SAT$55 million in loans and paid SAT$11 million towards other debts 1112. SAT$300 million is close to a quarter of a year's budget receipts 7. The IMF in July 2026 said any additional support should be targeted, transparent and temporary, pointed to persistent under-execution of capital spending and the need for better project appraisal, procurement and implementation, and rated Samoa's risk of debt distress moderate 14. The upside is real but unmeasured: tourism operators told a July 2026 consultation that limited air connectivity holds back arrivals and investment, and Qantas began an Auckland to Apia service on 18 June 2026, giving the route three airlines 1516. The plan shifts the risk of a loss-making airline onto SNPF, ACC and UTOS savers and small shareholders, and a second failure would land on the budget as the first did.
Sources (16)
- FAST Party Manifesto Centres on the Family Unit
- What the three major parties are promising Samoa
- Landslide Win for Laaulialemalietoa as FAST looks Certain to be Samoa's next Government
- Unit Trust of Samoa Facilitates Registrations for Samoa Airways Shareholding Initiative
- Planes cost $30M to operate, none expected this year
- Aircraft part of five-year plan: Mulipola
- Minister of Finance Hon Mulipola Anarosa Budget Address 2026/2027
- Samoa parliament debates plans to set up new airline
- Consumer Price Index, August 2026
- “No evidence”: Mulipola denies ADB warning despite discussion records
- Minister explains Samoa Airways $104m losses and $85m debts
- Samoa Airways Reports FY2025 Profit, Plans Another Aircraft Overhaul
- Airlines push back on Samoa's airport fee hike
- 2026 Article IV Consultation for Samoa: IMF Staff Concluding Statement
- Private Sector Highlights Key Constraints and Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Development in Samoa
- 95 passengers on Qantas Airways inaugural service between Faleolo & Auckland
- No sign yet
SAT$100 million hotel redevelopment fund
No hotel fund exists; tourism shares a SAT$15 million lending facility with farming and manufacturing.
Cuts both waysRead more
- Promised
- A SAT$100 million fund to redevelop and upgrade hotels and tourism accommodation 12. No deadline was given 1.
- What happened
- The October 2025 budget provided a SAT$10 million Development Bank of Samoa facility for manufacturing, commercial agriculture and tourism 3. The May 2026 budget address scaled that facility up to SAT$15 million for the same three sectors and said SAT$13 million through DBS had so far reached 30 businesses; it names no separate SAT$100 million hotel fund 4.
- Impact on families
- No count of hotels renovated under the pledge, and the 30-business figure is a government claim across three sectors, not a tourism result 4. International arrivals in April to June 2026 were 64,181, 6.9% above the same quarter of 2025, which cannot be attributed to the fund 5. What would show delivery: a named fund, its lending terms and a list of funded properties.
- Cost
- SAT$100 million, the party's figure, about 8% of 2026/27 budgeted receipts if paid in one year; what exists is a SAT$15 million Development Bank facility shared with farming and manufacturing 4.
- Verdict for families
- Cuts both ways
- Can it be done?
- A stretch
- Long term
- Mixed long term
- Who gains
- Hotel and guesthouse owners who could borrow from the fund; the SAT$15 million facility that exists is said to have reached 30 businesses across three sectors 4.
- Who pays
- Taxpayers and the Development Bank carry the credit risk, and SAT$100 million lent to hotels is money not spent on services families use 47.
- Assessment
- Tourism is Samoa's largest earner, at SAT$701.54 million in visitor earnings in 2025/26, so better rooms have a case 6. But SAT$100 million is about 8% of a year's receipts, and the IMF in July 2026 asked the Central Bank to monitor lending by public financial institutions closely and said small firms face financing constraints from limited collateral and incomplete financial records 47. A fund of this kind lends public money to hotel owners, who are among the better-off and include foreign investors, while workers gain only if jobs and wages follow; nothing requires that they do, which is why the whole picture is mixed rather than good.
Sources (7)
- Laaulialemalietoa Secures his Seat with Ease as FAST Numbers Start to Stack Up
- What the three major parties are promising Samoa
- Minister of Finance Tables $1.24bn Talā Peoples Budget
- Minister of Finance Hon Mulipola Anarosa Budget Address 2026/2027
- International Arrival Statistics, Second Quarter 2026
- Visitor Earnings & Remittances Report, June 2026
- 2026 Article IV Consultation for Samoa: IMF Staff Concluding Statement
- No sign yet
SAT$30 million to upgrade sports facilities
No facilities programme; the SAT$6 million a year Sports Development Fund is not shown to build or upgrade grounds.
Good for aigaRead more
- Promised
- Spend SAT$30 million improving sports facilities 1. No deadline was given 1.
- What happened
- No SAT$30 million facilities programme appears in either budget. The October 2025 budget tripled sports-development funding from SAT$2.5 million to SAT$6 million 2, and the May 2026 budget address retained a SAT$6 million Sports Development Fund, for athlete development, sports programmes, community competitions, international participation and hosting events 3. Neither describes the fund as a facilities programme, identifies a SAT$30 million works plan or lists facilities built 23. Before the election, on 22 April 2025, Cabinet under Fiamē ordered three grandstands at Apia Park demolished and asked the sports ministry to seek development-partner help for a new stadium 4.
- Impact on families
- No published list of upgraded facilities or users. What would show delivery: named grounds or halls completed, their cost, and the fund's grant list.
- Cost
- SAT$30 million one-off, the party's figure, about 2% of 2026/27 budgeted receipts; the budgets carry SAT$6 million a year for a Sports Development Fund, not shown to be for facilities 23.
- Verdict for families
- Good for aiga
- Can it be done?
- Doable
- Long term
- Too early to tell
- Who gains
- Young people and villages would gain if the money reached local grounds; no facility has been named, so nobody has gained yet 3.
- Who pays
- Taxpayers, at about SAT$6 million a year on the existing fund, with upkeep of any new facility falling on future budgets 23.
- Assessment
- The sum is small against the budget, about 2% of a year's receipts, and five years of the existing SAT$6 million fund would equal it, so money is not the obstacle 3. What is missing is a plan: no facility, site or contract has been named under this promise, so whether the money reaches village grounds used by young people or a few showpiece venues, and who maintains them, cannot be judged 23. The one facility decision on record, a new Apia Park stadium, predates the election and depends on development partners 4. Village-level grounds spread benefit widely and cheaply; a single stadium would concentrate contracts and upkeep costs.
Sources (4)
- Laaulialemalietoa Secures his Seat with Ease as FAST Numbers Start to Stack Up
- Minister of Finance Tables $1.24bn Talā Peoples Budget
- Minister of Finance Hon Mulipola Anarosa Budget Address 2026/2027
- Demolition of Grandstands at Apia Park and Construction of a New Sports Stadium
Projects in this area
- Delivered and working
Faleolo airport VIP lounge, fale and bridge
Read more
- What it is
- A VIP lounge, fale and connecting bridge at Faleolo were built in 2024 and opened in time for CHOGM in October 2024, at a cost the airport authority put at about SAT$11.2m. 2
- Planning
- The Ministry of Finance published the construction award of SAT$8,555,290.76 to Zheng Construction Co. Ltd on 8 November 2023, chosen over two other bidders. 1 SUCON Consultancy designed and managed the project. The airport authority put the project cost at about SAT$11.2m; the two figures cover different scopes. 2
- Result
- Built in time for CHOGM and in use. The authority's opening report says construction ran from November 2023 to August 2024; its audited accounts say February 2024 to September 2024 with defect works finished in early 2025, so the dates disagree. 23 It was contracted under Fiamē's government and fully funded by the airport authority. 12 The new lounge holds 300 guests against 50 before. 2 A VIP lounge serves visiting dignitaries, not ordinary passengers; who uses it and what it costs to run have not been published, so value to families cannot be shown. The SAT$8.56m construction award went to Zheng Construction, which on 17 January 2024 also won the SAT$24m Savalalo market contract. 14
- Cost
- About SAT$11.2m project; SAT$8.56m construction award
- Funded by
- Samoa Airport Authority
- Visibility
- The award and opening cost were published. No final audited project account has been identified. 12 The audit of the airport authority's accounts for the year to June 2025 found procurement approvals and contractor selections made by management without full board endorsement in a year with about SAT$6m of infrastructure contracts; it gave an unqualified opinion and does not name this project. 3
Sources (4)
- Tender Awards | MOF Samoa
- $11M Faleolo airport VIP lounge opens
- Samoa Airport Authority Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2025
- Zheng wins $24m Savalalo contract
- Delivered and working
Faleolo regional terminal and apron works
Read more
- What it is
- A regional terminal at Faleolo, which the airport authority values at $25m, opened in October 2024 and serves regional and domestic flights. 1
- Planning
- The airport authority describes the terminal as government-funded and valued at $25 million, without stating the currency; the 2024/25 budget address lists the regional terminal and apron among airport works under way. The contractor and procurement for the terminal were not published in the cited sources. 12
- Result
- The terminal is open and in use, according to the airport authority; it was opened by Prime Minister Fiamē in October 2024, with government money. 1 The authority's audited accounts record practical completion in October 2024. 4 Completion of the separately announced apron improvements has not been confirmed. 2 From 1 March 2026 the authority raised passenger charges, with the departure tax rising to SAT$80 and a new SAT$100 aerodrome facility charge; the International Air Transport Association lobbied the government for airlines and asked for more talks. Travellers now carry more of the cost of running the airport. 3 Passenger numbers and running costs for the terminal have not been published. 1
- Cost
- $25m stated terminal value (currency not stated by the airport authority)
- Funded by
- Government of Samoa, according to the airport authority
- Visibility
- The terminal's value was published but no award, contractor or final cost has been identified. 1 The authority's audit for the year to June 2025 found some contractor selections approved without full board endorsement; it does not name this project. 4
Sources (4)
- Faleolo Regional Terminal
- Budget Address 2024/2025
- Flights from Samoa to cost more from 1 March
- Samoa Airport Authority Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2025
- No visible progress
Faleolo cargo building design
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- What it is
- A design and supervision contract for a new cargo building at Faleolo was awarded on 12 June 2025; no construction has been reported since. 1
- Planning
- SUCON Consulting won a listed tender against other bidders; the Ministry of Finance published the SAT$377,706.05 award on 12 June 2025. 1
- Result
- No construction award, start or completion for the new cargo building has been published. A design award is not a building. 1 The airport authority's audited accounts to June 2025 record a separate "Hangar and Cargo Facility" whose site clearance and civil works were complete by June 2025, awaiting occupancy certification; the accounts do not say whether this is the building the June 2025 design contract covers. 2 The only money published so far is the SAT$377,706 fee to the consultant, awarded under Fiamē's government; exporters and importers have gained nothing yet from the new building. 1
- Cost
- SAT$377,706 design and supervision award; building cost not published
- Funded by
- Samoa Airport Authority
- Visibility
- The consultant, price and competing bidders were published. The construction cost and timetable were not. 12
Sources (2)
- Tender Awards | MOF Samoa
- Samoa Airport Authority Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2025
- Delayed
Samoa Aviation and Roads Investment Project
Read more
- What it is
- A US$66m World Bank project to improve Faleolo aviation safety and road resilience runs to August 2029; by February 2026 road designs were still under way. 1
- Planning
- World Bank IDA financing of US$66m covers aviation (US$29m), road (US$30m) and enabling-environment (US$7m) components. A rescue fire vehicle contract was signed on 7 November 2025 and an aerobridge software and module upgrade contract on 28 November 2025. 1
- Result
- The World Bank's report of 10 February 2026 called the project largely on track for its closing date of 30 August 2029, but Alafa'alava Road was still in detailed design and the East Coast Road design and supervision consultancy was in procurement. Only 14.8% of the financing had been disbursed. 1 The money is World Bank financing approved on 1 June 2022 under Fiamē's government; the current government has signed the first supply contracts. 1 Safety and road gains reach families only once works that are still in design are built. 1
- Cost
- US$66m World Bank financing; no tala figure published
- Funded by
- World Bank (IDA)
- Visibility
- The World Bank publishes implementation reports, procurement milestones and the airport authority's audited accounts; the audit for the year to June 2025 found some contractor selections approved without full board endorsement. Final costs are not yet available. 12
Sources (2)
- Implementation Status & Results Report: Samoa Aviation and Roads Investment Project (P176272), Seq No 8
- Samoa Airport Authority Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2025
- Delivered and working
Maota Airport reopening and Savai'i flights
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- What it is
- Maota Airport in Savai'i reopened on 8 October 2026 after 26 years, with an inaugural flight that day and scheduled Samoa Airways services from 9 October; runway sealing is still to come. 12
- Planning
- The upgrade cost, contractor and procurement have not been published. The Prime Minister said Maota was the first step and Asau would follow. 2
- Result
- The inaugural flight landed on 8 October 2026 and scheduled services began on 9 October, two a day Monday to Saturday and one on Sunday, with a promotional SAT$120 one-way fare; the 23 September announcement had quoted SAT$200, so the launch terms disagree. 123 The runway is still to be tar-sealed; one report says runway lighting is still to be installed, another says lights were installed before the launch, so the sources disagree. 13 This is the current government's own initiative, pushed by the Prime Minister as a faster link, including for medical transfers. 23 Savai'i families gain a 10 to 20 minute link to Upolu instead of an hour by ferry if fares stay near SAT$120; the capital cost, the contractor and what Samoa Airways needs to keep the route going have not been published, so value for money cannot be judged. 12
- Cost
- not published
- Funded by
- Government of Samoa and Samoa Airways; split not published
- Visibility
- The opening, schedule and fares were reported. The upgrade cost, any contract and the airline's expected loss or subsidy on the route were not. 123
Sources (3)
- Maota Airport Reopens After 26 Years - Talamua Online
- “Maota Is the First Step, Asau Is Next”: PM Reopens Savai‘i Air Link - Samoa Global News
- Samoa Airways to Resume Flights between Upolu and Savai’i - Talamua Online
- Delivered and working
Upolu West Coast Road rehabilitation
Read more
- What it is
- The main West Coast Road section (11.2 km) was completed in July 2024, a month after the government's forecast; smaller follow-on works were still being awarded in July 2026. 123
- Planning
- The Land Transport Authority implements the World Bank-supported project. The 2024/25 budget forecast completion in June 2024. A separate SAT$392,159.66 award to Ulia Construction for an additional driveway and crossing was published on 16 July 2026. 123
- Result
- The World Bank records 11.20 km completed in July 2024 with 12 drainage outfalls; its January 2026 report gives a project-wide indicator of 205,557 people with enhanced transport access, which counts the whole project, not this section alone, and a project target of 15.60 km by March 2027. 24 Follow-on works continued into 2026. 3 No maintenance assessment of the finished road has been published. The works were World Bank-funded and finished under Fiamē's government, before the 2025 election; they are not a result of the current government's promises. 24 The road serves the Apia to airport corridor used by most families; the main contractors' names and prices are not in the cited sources, so who earned the money cannot be seen. 24
- Cost
- not published for the main works; SAT$392,160 for later driveway works
- Funded by
- World Bank climate-resilient transport project
- Visibility
- The World Bank reports kilometres built and people reached; the Ministry of Finance published the later minor award. The main contract and its value have not been published in the cited sources. 234
Sources (4)
- Budget Address 2024/2025
- Combined Project Information Documents / Integrated Safeguards Datasheet (PID/ISDS), Appraisal Stage: Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782)
- Tender Awards | MOF Samoa
- Implementation Status & Results Report: Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782), Seq No 16
- On track, not finished
West Coast coastal protection and seawalls
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- What it is
- By December 2025, 2,095 m of coastal revetment had been built against a target of 3,480 m, with more seawall bids under evaluation. 12
- Planning
- The works are administered by the Land Transport Authority under the World Bank project; the seawall contractor is not named in the cited reports. 12
- Result
- By December 2025, 2,095 m of revetment was in place against a target of 3,480 m by March 2027, so the works were about 60% built and within the project's own timetable. 1 The works are World Bank-funded and began under Fiamē's government. 12 Coastal villages along the road gain protection where walls are built; the contractor, the cost per metre and a maintenance plan have not been published. 12
- Cost
- not published separately
- Funded by
- World Bank climate-resilient transport project
- Visibility
- The World Bank publishes physical indicators and notes further procurement. No separate cost, contractor or maintenance plan has been published. 12
Sources (2)
- Implementation Status & Results Report: Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782), Seq No 16
- Implementation Status & Results Report: Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782), Seq No 14
- Delayed
Afega bridge and Lano crossing
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- What it is
- Two flood-prone crossings were to start in 2024/25; contracts were signed by December 2025, Lano in Savai'i was reported near completion in September 2026, and the Afega bridge award has not been published. 134
- Planning
- Both crossings sit in the Land Transport Authority's World Bank-supported project; designs were finished in November 2024. A May 2025 World Bank paper still showed procurement under way. By December 2025 the World Bank reported both contracts signed. Apia Lua Ltd was reported building Lano. 1234
- Result
- Neither crossing was confirmed open by October 2026. Lano, a six-cell box culvert replacing the ford, was reported near completion on 17 September 2026. 3 Both were planned and financed under Fiamē's government through the World Bank project. 12 Apia Lua Ltd is building Lano; Afega's contractor and both prices are unpublished, and the villages that flood at these crossings have waited more than a year past the planned start. 134
- Cost
- not published
- Funded by
- World Bank climate-resilient transport project
- Visibility
- Design and procurement progress is published; final awards, costs and acceptance are not. 234
Sources (4)
- Budget Address 2024/2025
- Project Paper on a Proposed Additional Grant: Additional Financing for the Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project
- Lano crossing project nears completion in Savai’i
- Implementation Status & Results Report: Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782), Seq No 16
- Delivered with problems
Central Cross Island Road upgrade
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- What it is
- The ADB-funded upgrade of the cross-island road was due for physical completion by 30 September 2026, but a 4.2 km stretch of chip-seal failed and claims between the contractor and the authority were unresolved. 12
- Planning
- China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is the contractor and SMEC International the construction supervision consultant. 1 The ADB grant was signed on 30 December 2020, with physical completion due by 30 September 2026. 2
- Result
- The Land Transport Authority's January to June 2026 monitoring report records a 4.2 km chip-seal flushing defect. The supervisor required removal and replacement, and on 8 June 2026 reaffirmed that the contractor's proposed remedy was non-compliant. Contractual claims, including a delay-damages dispute, were unsettled. The final repair and any overrun have not been published. 1 The project is ADB-funded under a grant signed in December 2020, long before the current government. 2 CCECC, a Chinese state contractor, holds the contract; if the defective seal is not replaced at the contractor's cost, or the claims succeed, the public pays twice. Families who use the road gain a safe surface only once the 4.2 km is redone. 1
- Cost
- not published
- Funded by
- Asian Development Bank
- Visibility
- The LTA published a detailed defect and claims report, which is unusual. No final cost has been published. 12
Sources (2)
- Environmental and Social Safeguards Monitoring Report: Central Cross Island Road Upgrading Project, Semiannual Safeguards Monitoring Report, 1 January - 30 June 2026
- Project Administration Manual: Central Cross Island Road Upgrading Project
- Abandoned
Aurora V inter-island ferry
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- What it is
- A catamaran ferry bought for the Upolu to Savai'i run never entered service: safety concerns led the government to cancel the purchase in January 2026 and look at selling or leasing it. 123
- Planning
- The vessel was designed by Seatransport Pty Ltd's chairman, Dr Stuart Ballantyne. 1 It was bought with Samoa Ports Authority funds for lease to the Samoa Shipping Corporation; Talamua reported that senior corporation officials had opposed the purchase and that it would be under an audit investigation. 5 The selection process and contract terms were not published. The Prime Minister said about SAT$20m had already been spent. 23
- Result
- The ferry was due in November 2025. 1 Safety concerns kept it out of Samoan service, the purchase was cancelled in January 2026, and in July 2026 the Prime Minister inspected repair work at Polaris Marine in Yamba, Australia, ahead of a sale. 14 The designer disputed the safety assessment and said about 80% of the contract price had been paid; the Samoa Observer put the price at US$5m (about SAT$13m); the Prime Minister said about SAT$20m had been spent in all, and he has been reported giving the original price as SAT$2m and as SAT$3m, with refits taking it to SAT$20m. The figures measure different things and none is reconciled. 1235 The purchase was Fiamē's government's decision; the current government stopped it. 25 Families on the Savai'i run got no service for the money, the seller was paid, and the vessel was still in Australia in July 2026. How much will be recovered is unknown. 34
- Cost
- About SAT$20m spent, according to the Prime Minister; earlier price reports differ
- Funded by
- Samoa Ports Authority and government
- Visibility
- Samoa Observer, Samoa Global News and Talamua reported the payments and safety issues. 125 A former minister called for a commission of inquiry in June 2026 and the Prime Minister agreed one should follow once power supply was secure. 3 Talamua reported the purchase would be under an audit investigation. 5 The selection of the designer, the contract and a recovery account have not been published. 134
Sources (5)
- Aurora V for lease once its finished with renovations
- PM says Government will move to Lease or Sell the $20 million Failed Ferry Purchase
- Former Minister calls for Commissions of Inquiry into EPC & $20M Catamaran Boat
- Prime Minister Inspects Aurora V Ferry Repair Works
- Government looks to recover $20m spent on Catamaran vessel
- Delivered and working
MV Fotu-o-Samoa III ferry
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- What it is
- A freight and regional landing craft built by Sealink Shipyard in Malaysia was commissioned at Salelologa on 14 September 2026. 12
- Planning
- The Samoa Shipping Corporation bought the vessel through a SAT$16.8m financing arrangement supported by the Unit Trust of Samoa and BSP Bank; Talamua's text says SAT$16.2m under a SAT$16.8m heading. 12 The selection method was not published. 1
- Result
- Commissioned on 14 September 2026. 12 It is a 45.5-metre landing craft carrying vehicles and cargo with accommodation for 12 passengers, meant for regional services to the Cook Islands, Manu'a, Tutuila and Tokelau; its sailing schedule was not confirmed at commissioning. 13 Talamua reported it as serving Upolu to Savai'i, and the Prime Minister had said in April 2026 that it would carry 100 people and 20 cars. 25 It is financed through UTOS and BSP, so the corporation must earn the repayments from freight; it reported a SAT$838,295 profit for July to September 2025, a quarter, not a year. 14 The current government presented the vessel at its launch; the corporation thanked past and present leadership and noted changes to the construction and delivery timeline, and when it was ordered and who decided it are not published. 23 Families gain freight capacity, not cheaper passenger fares. 13
- Cost
- SAT$16.8m (reports) or SAT$16.2m (one report's text); figures disagree
- Funded by
- Samoa Shipping Corporation with UTOS and BSP financing
- Visibility
- The builder and lenders were named. The price discrepancy (SAT$16.8m or SAT$16.2m), the financing terms, the order date, the selection method and any business case have not been published. 12
Sources (5)
- Samoa's $16.8 Million MV Fotu-o-Samoa III Commissioned for Regional Service
- $16.8 Million Fotu o Samoa III Ferry launched
- MV Fotu-o-Samoa III Blessed and Commissioned Into Service
- Public Bodies Performance Report Jul-Sept 2025 YTD
- PM says Government will move to Lease or Sell the $20 million Failed Ferry Purchase
- Delivered with problems
Samoa Shipping Corporation fleet repairs
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- What it is
- The ageing Upolu to Savai'i ferries kept running through 2024 and 2025 with emergency engine repairs and a temporary passenger cap. 12
- Planning
- Repairs, surveys and Japanese engineer assistance were reported in public-bodies quarterly reports; individual procurement terms were not. 1
- Result
- In January to March 2025 Lady Samoa III needed emergency engine repairs and had its elevator restored with help from Japanese engineers, Fotu-o-Samoa II returned after extensive repairs, February weather cancelled sailings, and Lady Samoa IV's passenger capacity was cut for pending safety repairs until 28 March 2025. 1 In November 2024 the shipping minister said the Lady Samoa had been out of service for months awaiting a gear costing the corporation over SAT$300,000 and that its floor could no longer take heavy cargo. 2 The corporation reported a SAT$838,295 profit for July to September 2025 and routine cleaning, painting, inspections, surveys and drills across the fleet. 3 This is routine work of a state company under both FAST governments, not a new decision. 13 Keeping old vessels running by emergency repair costs the public with no published plan or price for replacing them; Savai'i families bear the cancellations and capacity cuts. 12
- Cost
- not published as a total; one gear repair over SAT$300,000
- Funded by
- Samoa Shipping Corporation operating funds
- Visibility
- Quarterly public-bodies reports document faults and service effects. 13 In November 2024 the minister said a replacement ferry costing about US$7m (about SAT$18m) was being scoped in Australia, which became the Aurora V purchase; no fleet replacement cost has been published. 2
Sources (3)
- Public Bodies Performance Report Jan–Mar 2025 YTD
- Scoping Mission for New Inter-Island ferry for Savaii
- Public Bodies Performance Report Jul-Sept 2025 YTD
- Delayed
New international jets or airline company
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- What it is
- The Prime Minister targeted international jets by the end of 2026; the finance minister then said preparation could take one to two years and no aircraft has been contracted. 1346
- Planning
- The aircraft model, buy-versus-lease choice and supplier are undecided. 16 Parliament debated financing through UTOS and citizen investment in June 2026. 2 The minister estimated SAT$30m a year to run a jet, excluding the aircraft. 36
- Result
- No international jet service exists; the finance minister said no aircraft would arrive in 2026 and that one to two years of preparation are needed. 36 In February 2026 Cabinet approved the Unit Trust of Samoa to register prospective investors with a SAT$500 minimum; money sits in an ordinary UTOS product until the airline can issue shares, and cannot be withdrawn meanwhile. 5 In April 2026 the minister said the project was in the government's five-year programme, with aircraft sourcing still under review. 1 Documents reported in June 2026 recorded an ADB warning that competing head to head with Air New Zealand could be financially devastating; the minister told Parliament there was no evidence of such a warning. 7 This is the current government's own election promise. 1 Small investors would carry the risk of an airline that lost SAT$104m between 2018 and 2022. 58 No service has been delivered. 6
- Cost
- not decided; SAT$30m a year estimated running cost excluding aircraft
- Funded by
- Proposed UTOS and citizen investment; not settled
- Visibility
- Parliament debated the plan. 2 Cabinet approved a business plan costing AUD$80,000; no signed aircraft contract, costed business case or prospectus has been published, and the ADB's advice is disputed. 7
Sources (8)
- Aircraft part of five-year plan: Mulipola
- Samoa parliament debates plans to set up new airline
- Samoa Airways defers jet ops to 2027-2028
- Samoa Government Reaffirms Commitment to National Airline Relaunch
- Unit Trust of Samoa Facilitates Registrations for Samoa Airways Shareholding Initiative
- Planes cost $30M to operate, none expected this year
- “No evidence”: Mulipola denies ADB warning despite discussion records
- Minister explains Samoa Airways $104m losses and $85m debts
What FAST did in 2021 to 2025
- 15 November 2021Kept
A 20% cut in Upolu to Savaiʻi passenger ferry fares took effect, which Samoa Shipping Corporation said was announced in the government budget; it applied to passengers only, not vehicles 1. The 2021/22 budget address cut electricity and water prices and selected government fees by 20% to help the country through COVID-19 2.
Sources (2)
- Samoa Shipping Corporation Announces 20% Drop in Passenger Fares
- Budget Address 2021/2022
- 2021 to 2023Unclear
Not a promise, but a decision: the government cancelled the inherited Samoa Airways Boeing 737-800 lease, which never flew because the aircraft failed to get a licence over safety issues. The minister reported a US$5.3 million, about SAT$14.6 million, termination payment 1; a 2022 report gave SAT$16 million (US$5.9 million) 2. The figures conflict and neither is an audited total 12.
Sources (2)
- Minister explains Samoa Airways $104m losses and $85m debts
- Samoan gov't to pay $5.9mn for nixed B737 lease
- July 2024Kept
Upgrades to 11.20 km of the West Coast Road were completed in July 2024 under the World Bank-funded Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project 3. By December 2025 the project recorded 2,095 metres of coastal revetment and 12 drainage outfalls completed, with the Afega and Lano crossings contracted and under construction 1. Lano was reported near completion on 17 September 2026 2.
Sources (3)
- Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782): Implementation Status & Results Report, Seq No 16
- Lano crossing project nears completion in Savai’i
- Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (P165782): Combined Project Information Documents / Integrated Safeguards Datasheet, Appraisal Stage
- August to October 2024Kept
Faleolo's VIP lounge, about SAT$11.2 million and funded by the Samoa Airports Authority, was built by Zheng Construction from November 2023 to August 2024 and opened in October 2024 1; the authority's accounts record substantial completion in September 2024 3. The regional terminal and apron, about SAT$25 million, reached practical completion in October 2024 and were opened by the prime minister on 17 October 2024 234.
Sources (4)
- $11M Faleolo airport VIP lounge opens
- Faleolo Regional Terminal
- Samoa Airport Authority Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2025
- Pacific news in brief for 21 October
- January to June 2026Unclear
On the ADB grant-funded Central Cross Island Road upgrade, contracted to CCECC, a chip-seal flushing defect on a 4.2 km section remained unremedied; the supervisor required removal and replacement, the contractor's proposed remedy was found non-compliant, and claims over delay damages were unresolved 1.
Sources (1)
- Central Cross Island Road Upgrading Project: Semiannual Safeguards Monitoring Report, 1 January to 30 June 2026
- November 2025 to April 2026Not kept
The Aurora V ferry, procured under the Fiamē government and scheduled to arrive in November 2025, never entered service. The purchase of the vessel, reported at SAT$13 million, was cancelled in January 2026 on safety grounds the designer disputed 1. On 10 April 2026 the prime minister said it would be finished for lease or sale, with about SAT$20 million already spent; the designer said about 80% of the contract price had been paid 23. In July 2026 the prime minister inspected repair work in Australia; Talamua reported more than SAT$20 million paid and a plan to complete the upgrades and sell the vessel 4.
Sources (4)
- Govt cancels ferry purchase, safety claims disputed
- PM says Government will move to Lease or Sell the $20 million Failed Ferry Purchase
- Aurora V for lease once its finished with renovations
- Prime Minister Inspects Aurora V Ferry Repair Works
- 3 February 2025Unclear
The World Bank's Digitally Connected and Resilient Samoa project became effective on 3 February 2025, with a 35,000 new-broadband-user target by October 2029 1. Its December 2025 results recorded zero new broadband users and US$1.34 million disbursed, and the January 2026 report called implementation slower than expected 1.
Sources (1)
- Digitally Connected and Resilient Samoa Project (P180807): Implementation Status & Results Report