Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — While the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party had planned a Pago “roadshow” beginning this past Saturday, the campaign event has now been cancelled in order to curb the spread of dengue fever.

The decision was confirmed by FAST leader and chairman, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, during a thanksgiving service in Samoa on Saturday that also marked the conclusion of the party’s five-week roadshow across Upolu and Savai’i.

“Today (Saturday August 16) was when the FAST Party was scheduled to depart for Tutuila and Manu’a,” Laauli explained. “However, due to the dengue fever outbreak and other reasons, we have decided that the safest option is to protect ourselves not only from this illness but also from other possible risks. This does not mean that visiting our supporters in American Samoa is cancelled altogether. Once Samoa’s general election is completed, we will reschedule for another time in the future.”

He stressed that the decision was made out of caution and responsibility, prioritizing the well-being of FAST members and supporters in American Samoa.

The American Samoa roadshow was to be the final highlight of FAST’s outreach efforts ahead of the August 29 general election. The event was expected to draw strong support from Samoan families in Tutuila and Manu’a, many of whom maintain close ties to Samoa’s political landscape and are influential in providing both financial and moral backing to parties.

The conclusion of the Samoa roadshows last week capped off five weeks of grassroots events, which Laauli said were instrumental in strengthening connections with communities, outlining FAST’s policies, and rallying momentum ahead of polling day.

While the cancellation has disappointed many supporters in American Samoa, FAST confirmed that the party will visit after the general election once conditions allow.

Samoa News was told over the weekend that the roadshow would have also been a fundraiser for FAST, but concerns over the possibility of our borders being closed to Samoa travelers due to the dengue fever outbreak cancelled the show.

(Source: Samoa Observer)