Car Dealer Puts Up Fight

Written by Pio Sioa
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
Hyundai Automotive Samoa is take their case to the public by waging a publicity campaign against the proposed road switch policy Government wants to become effective by July next year. The Vaigaga based dealer for such popular model brands as Getz and Tucson are taking out paid advertisements in the local media, calling for the public to “Say No To Right Hand Drives.” ‘We will be printing our T-Shirts as well with the same slogan to carry our message to the public,” General Manager of Hyundai Samoa, Mulipola Moira Hastings, said on Friday. The company is forced to call on public support in a Do or Die fight for survival, with debts in the millions of tala likely to be incurred, if the policy goes ahead. Blame is also leveled at the unilateral move undertaken by Government. “We should have been consulted before all this came out, so we could prepare for it properly, instead this has come as a surprise,” Mulipola says. “We have orders for new cars lined up all the way to the end of the year and we cannot change that because they are already underway.” The dealer has $3 million worth of new cars already in the country and since the public announcement of the new policy last week, the company is stuck with what to do next. “Nobody wants to buy a new car now unless it is a right hand drive so what are we going to do with all these cars. Mulipola added that the company had just taken delivery of 15 new vehicles, all of them pre-sold on arrangements with the commercial banks. The owners were only required to turn up and drive off with their new cars. “But only one turned up the rest have decided not to pay and have pulled out of the arrangement.” Financing arrangements with the commercial banks will mean monthly interests piling up on credits worth up to millions of tala. “The interest will continue to pile up if we can’t sell these cars.” Other local car dealers are reportedly faced with the same dilemma, some with orders staggered for arrival all the way to February that is too late to stop now. The Hyundai Automotive Samoa public appeal is expected to have strong support from inside the motor vehicle industry, who are now directly in the firing line of the proposed road switch policy. No reaction yet from Government over the swell of public opposition. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Maleilegaoi is not prepared to face the media when approached through his personal secretary for interviews. A 6 member Government Steering Committee is already working on areas necessary for the enactment of the new policy. The Assistant Director of the Transport Control Board (TCB), Tupuola Misi, is one of the members and is required to advice on changes necessary on the roads. “We will advise on things like road signs, curbs along the footpath and all other aspects related to tavelling on the roads to make it easier for the public to make the switch,” Tupuola explained. He admitted to one of the distinct problems discovered with right hand drive buses and vans. “We have to work out how the passengers have to enter these vehicles safely because they have to walk around to the middle of the road to enter or exit.” Work on amendment changes of the 1968 Traffic Ordiance is handled by the Attorney General’s Office. A cost benefit analysis is left with the Ministry of Finance to sort out. Up to 17 thousand cars are registered in Samoa and except for only a token few, all have steering wheels on the left and are required to drive on the right hand side of the road. Comments (1) Subscribe to this comment's feed ... written by peniata semi faifa, March 05, 2008 OSE AUALA GA TATAU LEA UA FAI ELE MALO, UA LEVA ONA TATAU ONA SUIA LEA TULAFONO... AUA FO'I OLE TELE OLE MAMALU OLE ATUNU'U OLOO PAPA AAO I NIU SILA MA AUSETALIA NEI . PEI LA UA TALAFEAGAI LEA FUAFUAGA.....MO NAI AIGA OLE ATUNUU OLOO I FAFO NEI ...OUTE ILOA OLE A TOFU TA'AVALE UMA AIGA OLE ATUNUU I LENEI SUIGA FOU.... Write comment Name Email Title Comment

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]

Polls

--ADVERTISEMENTS--

Google Satellite Map of Eveni Carruthers

--ADVERTISEMENTS--

"Where the natives buy and sell"

--ADVERTISEMENTS--

Latest Comments

Urgent Call For Cost Of Living Relief
Praise the Lord! Being to Samoa for the last 5mths really opened my eyes to reality over there, it b...

Urgent Call For Cost Of Living Relief
I really applauded the Tautua Party for their Caring Hearts and Concern about the price of food for ...

Deadly Catch For Fisherman
Cause or Root of the problem "ALCOHOL"

Being under the influence of alcohol "DANGEROUS". Caused ...

Joe Failua Launches Album at Home
Hi my name is Lepupa Seki a au musika i le fa'alogologo..... taumafai pea e aveave ai lau taleni mai...

Manu Samoa In Tough Pool For 2011 World Cup
whats with all the sad comments are you people real samoans? we have beat wales before so why not ag...

Social Network

Join the Newsline Team on Bebo

www.bebo.com/newslineS

Become part of the Newsline Bebo Network

Get News via your Email

Subscribe to Samoa Live News Headlines by Email

Get the Latest News on your Blackberry or PDA

Subscribe in a reader

Sounds from Samoa

Listen to broadcasts from LiveSamoa.com
Courtesy of Plantation Feet, SBC(540am) and
Radio Polynesia(99.9 FM)

http://www.samoalive.com/sliveradio.asx

Live on Weekdays from 8am to 9am

Have your Say

We want your Opinion

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
If you would like to submit a letter for possible
publication in the print edition of the Newsline,
please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We want your News

Submit News from your Area
If you would like to submit News for possible
publication in both the online and print version
of Newsline please feel free to email us
at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Become a News Blogger
Have a passion for writing? Interested in
writing articles for Newsline? Email us
at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
We are looking for Bloggers from
around the world to contribute to our site.