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Samoa’s PM calls on Am Samoa to change status

Apia, SAMOA — Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi says American Samoa should think really hard about their status — as a “Disorganized and Unincorporated territory —as they will always fall behind the United States of America when they come together for global meetings, like the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) conference.”

 

Samoa News told the Prime Minister the correct status is “unorganized” but the Prime Minister repeatedly said “disorganized”.

 

During an exclusive interview with Samoa’s Prime Minister last week, Tuilaepa spoke on several issues which concern American Samoa.

 

For the SIDS conference, the PM pointed out with a conference such as this, American Samoa should have its own voice in this meeting, however that is not the case, as the Territory falls behind the US, because they are not independent.

 

He said, “This is similar to village council meetings, when the chiefs meet, the chief’s son always sits at the back behind his father. This is what’s happening here, when the world meets, the chiefs meets and American Samoa sits behind and waits for US.

 

“That’s what American Samoa should really think about, if they should continue to be sitting behind the US,” Tuilaepa said.

 

Of the Bumble Bee cannery, Samoa’s PM told Samoa News that Bumble Bee President and CEO Chris Lischewski is slated to break ground on schedule for the new cannery in December, and plans have not changed as they have already signed the Memorandum of Understanding. Tuilaepa said initially the plan was to ground break ground early next year, however the date has been changed to December.

 

He confirmed that the cannery operations will be at Matautu Wharf in the town area of Apia where Bumble Bee plans to build a processing plant for pre-cooked loins and frozen tuna products and the company expects to start with 250 – 300 direct employees.

 

Tuilaepa told Samoa News this is a promising project and they are happy with it, as they have been waiting for a cannery to open in Samoa, because not only will it benefit the Samoa government, but mainly the Samoan people, as they will be gainfully employed.

 

In a recent letter to Lori Faeth, the acting Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas of the U.S. Department of Interior, Gov. Lolo M. Moliga said he believes that the Bumble Bee Company’s plans to set up operations in Samoa threatens the “financial viability” of cannery operations in American Samoa. He was referring to companies like StarKist Samoa and Tri Marine International’s Samoa Tuna Processors Inc.

 

Lolo wrote, “The competitive advantage of these two assets (the canneries) will be compromised, not only because of the exemption of Bumble Bee from Federal minimum wage,” but also from U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and “many other Federal regulatory requirements.”

 

Tri Marine is on record as noting the Bumble Bee cannery’s primary impact from when it opens will be in the competition for raw material. It said, “To the extent that results in higher prices for the raw fish, that will impact on the competitiveness of the product from the Samoas in the world markets.”