Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In a news release Wednesday, the American Samoa Hawaii (ASH-Cable) Cable LLC confirmed a new cash dividend paid to the American Samoa Government, which holds one-third share of the company.

It says that a check of US$295,774 was presented by the President of ASH Cable, Toleafoa Douglas Creevey, to Attorney General, Talauega Eleasalo Ale on behalf of ASG.

The release quotes Toleafoa saying that the “two-third dividend” for ASH-cable major shareholder Elandia Technologies was deposited to the ASG Tax Office in settlement of corporate tax obligations.

“Once again all of the ASH dividend distributions remain in the territory in our local economy,” says Toleafoa, who didn’t provide information as to how much in taxes was paid to ASG.

Talauega told Samoa News early this week that Bluesky’s corporate tax payment was  $591,547, while the dividend totaled, $295,774 — the same amount cited by ASH-Cable in its release. (See Samoa News online July 18 for details)

Commissioned in 2009, the ASH-Cable has seen rapid growth in user data and its  bandwidth filled to capacity two years ago, according to the news release.

To address this issue, ASH-Cable in May this year leased new bandwidth on the new TUI SAMOA cable, and transpacific SOUTHERN CROSS cable, thus expanding local Operators’ access direct to Internet suppliers in San Jose, California.

The new leased bandwidth was immediately of benefit to the customers of ASTCA and Bluesky in American Samoa, as well as for CSL and Bluesky in Samoa.