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DOC looks at economic development in terms of transportation, tourism

fili@samoanews.com

Hawaiian Airlines has delayed the planned three weekly flights for American Samoa until some time next year, says Commerce Department acting director Keniseli Lafaele, who also said that the proposed development of the old Rainmaker Hotel site, is aligned with the thinking of increased tourist visits in the future for the territory.

Lafaele’s comments were made during a recent Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting where he provided information on the government’s economic development plans, which include developing transportation and tourism. The governor’s executive assistant, Iulogologo Joseph Pereira, accompanied Lafaele to the presentation.

TRANSPORTATION

“Our downfall over the years... is distance — far away from the US mainland” and other countries such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union — from where many tourists originate, said Lafaele.

For ocean transportation, he said the arrival early last month of the ASG vessel, MV Manu’atele, “Is a good beginning in our efforts to make American Samoa a hub in this region. We’re aiming to use the MV Manuatele to deliver goods and get raw materials from nearby countries, like Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau.”

“We like Tuvalu and the Kiribati because they have very rich fishing grounds. We (would) like to establish good relations with these countries, establish trade, and we have a vehicle now with the MV Manuatele,” he said.

Regarding air service, he said the arrival last year of Talofa Airlines for the inter Samoa route helped drop airfares down to about $150 roundtrip.

Regarding Hawaiian Airlines, Lafaele said the Honolulu-based carrier was slated to begin three-weekly flights later this year between Honolulu and Pago but the airline is waiting till 2018, when some of the developments, such as the repair to the apron, at the Pago Pago International Airport are completed.

Hawaiian Air hasn’t responded to a Samoa News email request sent early last week seeking comments regarding Lafaele’s statement.

Some of the repairs to the Tafuna airport, cited in the presentation, include, repairing and renovation of the apron, re-paving the entire parking lot after re-locating the airport jet fuel tanks; and improvements to jet way as well as terminal building renovations.

Lafaele then commended the American Samoa Visitors Bureau for its “aggressive efforts” to attract Fiji’s national carrier Fiji Airways to operate to and from Pago Pago, as well as a possible stop over in Pago Pago on the airline’s flight to the US and other Pacific countries.

“This effort is ongoing and we expect our transportation to improve in the next few years,” he said.

As previously reported by Samoa News, it was about three years ago that the Visitors Bureau initiated contact with Fiji Airways and last August Visitors Bureau officials met in Nadi, Fiji with Fiji Airways officials about flights between American Samoa and Fiji. The Visitors Bureau continues ongoing discussions with Fiji Airways, which currently makes a stop over in Apia, Samoa in its weekly flight from Nadi to Honolulu.

TOURISM

Lafaele said part of tourism development of infrastructure is for roads and the Tafuna airport; and also the redevelopment of the old Rainmaker Hotel site for a new three-star hotel.

According to information in the presentation, unique challenges of the project require innovative approachs to financing and DOC continues to pursue a public-private partnership.

Lafaele told the Chamber that the thing to keep in mind, in the redevelopment of this site is that “we will have tourism in the future when... the stars are aligned — the frequency of flights. So we build the infrastructure with that in mind.”

Also part of tourism, is the redevelopment of the old Tramway project, which Lafaele said is “on going” and DOC has touched base with the people that designed and built the tramway — they’re based in Pittsburgh.

He said DOC is applying for US Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs technical assistant grant for the engineering survey and financial analysis. And once all that’s done, DOC will look for funds for renovation work and several ideas for funding have been identified, including a US Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan program and a public-private partnership.