While it’s “unfortunate” that not much can be done at this point to halt the next minimum wage hike that will “probably destroy” the local economy, a consultant to US Sen.Ted Cruz campaigning for the presidential Republican candidate says the GOP believes American Samoa should have a robust and vibrant multi faceted economy, not just in the tuna industry.

Dennis Lennox also says that Cruz is a committed Christian who understands the importance of religious liberty to the people of American Samoa and not “impose mainland cultural beliefs on to American Samoa.”

As reported by Samoa News yesterday Lennox arrived early last week in Pago Pago for a two-week “listening tour” following visits to the territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. He is on island to shore up support for Cruz before the local Republican Party Caucus, set for March 22 next year.

MINIMUM WAGE

The next federally mandated wage increase for American Samoa is set for Sept. 30 while Congresswoman Aumua Amata has already introduced in the US House three bills dealing with the minimum wage. One bill would delay the next wage hike until September 2016, but there is concern that there is not enough time to get it approved by the US Congress before the end of this month.

Asked as to what Cruz can do about the next wage hike, which is the a looming challenge for the territory, Lennox said, “unfortunately, there is really nothing we can do at this time about that. It’s unfortunate and it’s regretfully going to probably destroy the American Samoan economy.”

“And the people of American Samoa both here and... on the mainland need to make their voice heard loud and clear on this [issue]. And I think what is showing also is that American Samoans are just not heard,” Lennox said during a Samoa News interview Monday.

“And this gets back to political status and the question of US citizenship. Political leaders here have failed,” he said. “People here need to find the answers to these questions themselves — not lawsuits, not the governors or territorial legislators saying one thing. The people of American Samoa should be a given a chance to once and for all decide this for themselves.”

Furthermore, only the people of American Samoa know what’s best for themselves and not Cruz or Washington, he said adding that it “will be arrogant for us to say what’s best for American Samoa.”

“There are so many unique assets here that can be leveraged, if American Samoa had a partner in the White House that treated her equally and respected her voice and didn’t look down upon her,” he said.

RESOURCES

Lennox said Washington has ignored the US Pacific territories for far too long while these insular areas can be the best “outposts of America” for trade and commerce, as well as tourism and military— Guam for the Asia region and American Samoa for Oceania.

Besides the minimum wage, other major issues faced by American Samoa and its tuna industry is the closure of usual fishing grounds—such as in the high seas and the US EZZ; additionally, the reduction of fishing days under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, between the US and several Pacific island countries.

Lennox said it’s “disastrous what Washington bureaucrats” are doing to the tuna industry in American Samoa, imposing “mainland culture on the territory”. He said Cruz “deeply respects the rich vibrant culture, the unique culture” in American Samoa.

“Senator Cruz wants to preserve, promote and protect that unique Samoan culture, but also understands that the economy here is very unique and what Washington bureaucrats think is good for the territory is actually not, “he said. “We need to figure out a way that we can grow the American Samoan economy without penalizing workers.”

He again describes the current situation as “outrageous”, saying that “we need to have this discussion on how we can increase economic prosperity here, create opportunity to lift people up because we do need equal opportunities.”

What Washington bureaucrats are doing now to American Samoa’s tuna industry was similar to what Washington did to the CNMI some 20-years ago with the garment industry, which has since collapsed, he said.

“We believe in creating opportunities. We need an opportunity-based society and an opportunity based culture, where all people have equal opportunity— not an equal outcome,” he said. “And that’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans.”

“Democrats believe in equal outcome. Republicans believe in equal opportunity for all,” he said adding that he believes it’s the Democrats who are holding American Samoa back. “Republicans wants to unleash American Samoans to their full potential, so that we can have a robust, vibrant, multi faceted economy, not just tuna, but tourism and other assets that we can leverage.”

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Lennox, who attended Sunday services at a local church, says religion is very important in American Samoa and it’s evidenced with the many churches throughout the island, with two or three churches in every village.

“I mean the vibrancy of the faith community here is impressive and we need to promote and protect those people’s religious liberties against people who wish to erode religious liberty,” he said.

He said Cruz is a “committed Christian who understands the importance of religious liberty to the people of American Samoa and not imposing mainland cultural beliefs onto American Samoa.”

“Senator Cruz is committed 100% to preserving and protecting religious liberty and religious conscious — regardless of what faith, regardless of what church you worship in, and what religious tradition,” he said, adding that Cruz is pro-life, pro family, and pro religious freedom.

Asked for his reaction to graves in front of homes and sometimes, right at the front door, Lennox smiled and said, “it’s unique and I’ve never seen that before.”

“I think it goes to show how important families are… in American Samoa. This family culture that you have here, the rich vibrant families where people look out and they care for each other — you don’t need government to look after you,” he said. “We need to encourage families and individual responsibility because government doesn’t do too many right things.”