The Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepe Sailele has advised 11 sailors departing to work on overseas ships, to stay away from alcohol.
The Samoa Observer reports that at a farewell ceremony for the group, the Prime Minister said, in the past, many local seamen had had their contracts terminated because of alcohol problems.
He said their behaviour while under the influence had cost them good jobs and now they're back to a hard life as plantation workers.
Tuilaepa has urged the new sailors not to waste this opportunity and the investment that their parents made in sending them for marine training,
The paper says nine of the sailors will board a new cruise ship in France.
They are on one year extendable contracts and will earn nearly 1400 US dollars a month.
