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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release – Friday, February 29, 2008)
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Office: (684) 633-4116 - Fax: (684) 633-2269 - Cell: (684) 731-8989
Governor Togiola completes week of meetings in Washington DC
(WASHINGTON DC) – Governor Togiola Tulafono has travelled to Honolulu after attending a week of meetings in the nation’s capital, which included the Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA) chaired by Interior Secretary Pulelei’ite Dirk Kempthorne.
Governor Togiola, in a thank you letter after the IGIA on Tuesday, expressed his sincere gratitude to Secretary Kempthorne for his inspiring leadership and personal commitment to American Samoa and the territories.
“I wholeheartedly agree that your experience as Governor of Idaho gives you great insight into the challenges that the Territorial Governors face as stewards of often disadvantaged and overlooked populations,” wrote Governor Togiola. “In addition, I wish to extend my sincerest appreciation for your recent visit to our islands for a first hand look at the Samoan experience. I look forward to working closely with you to ensure improved services, coordination, and communications between the Territory of American Samoa and the federal agencies on important matters concerning insular affairs.”
Some of the critical issues that were presented at the meeting on Tuesday, included the federal minimum wage, trade education at the American Samoa Community College, combined health services, and increased federal participation in long-term economic development. Additional matters presented were cabotage, emergency visa waiver procedures, territorial participation in regional organizations and trade agreements. (See issues below)
“American Samoa stands ready to work with the Department of Interior on all of these issues that we are presenting to you,” said Governor Togiola. “We look forward to your leadership over the coming year on these issues and others for the betterment of the Territory.”
Federal Minimum Wage
Congressional action on the Federal minimum wage dramatically raised the minimum wage in the Insular Areas. This action was taken before any in-depth consideration of the possible consequences on the Territories. Fortunately, our Congressional delegate and others in Congress had included in the bill language to have the US Department of Labor study the economic effects of those increases with a view toward possible reconsideration of the extent of those increases. In their report the US Department of Labor cited our work on the economic impacts of the canneries from a study we have just completed.
To summarize, American Samoa has enjoyed a fairly healthy economic growth over the last 30 years. However, with the new Federal minimum wage law in place, America Samoa faces losing the canneries and nearly 8,000 jobs. This would wipe out most of that past growth. The economic devastation would be exacerbated by rising prices and costs from arbitrary increases in the minimum wage in other industries. Transportation, energy and utility costs would rise because the canneries would no longer be available to share those costs. Important as they are, these costs would pale in comparison with the job and income losses. Thus, replacing the escalating clauses for American Samoa with wage measurements that are based on our local economic conditions would ensure that we maintain our cannery industry while meeting the needs of our workers and businesses.
Data Tracking
Related to the minimum wage issue, American Samoa would greatly benefit from improved Federal/Territorial cooperation and coordination. Specifically, the Territory would greatly benefit from improved support on better and more current data tracking for economic performance in the Territories. The US Department of Labor could help with this and has indicated a willingness to look into this matter. In fact their aforementioned study was limited by the lack of current data in both American Samoa and the CNMI. The CNMI is still limited in its ability to discern the near term economic impacts of the garment industry decline even though that decline has been underway for at least two years.
Combined Health Services
Health service in the Territory is an incredible challenge. With the extremely high number of military service members, both retired and active, American Samoa is interested in pursuing a partnership with Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense whereby the LBJ facility can be used to provide full health services to our active and retired military population with the federal agencies providing the professional staff for these services.
Increased Federal Participation in Long-term Economic Development
Certain industries are supported through direct procurement policies of the U.S. Government. American Samoa respectfully requests that in order to assist our Territory with our long- term economic development that such procurement polices take into consideration those industries that produce goods in the Territories. The tuna industry in American Samoa produces canned and pouched tuna, which are widely consumed in the U.S. market and are part of the dietary requirements of the U.S. military. Making American Samoa processed tuna the preferred tuna for U.S. military procurement would assist the Territory greatly in our economic development.
Trade Education at the American Samoa Community College
In the 1980s American Samoa experienced a drain on our trained and skilled laborers during the initial infrastructure buildup in Guam. American Samoa expects the same situation with regard to the impending military buildup in Guam. Because of the higher wages that are paid in Guam, in comparison to American Samoa’s wages, there is a much higher likelihood that skilled laborers from American Samoa will compete for the jobs that will be available in the Guam military buildup.
At the time of the initial infrastructure buildup, the American Samoa Community College trade school was still being developed. Today, however, the ASCC Institute of Trades and Technology is in a much better position to offer training to tradesmen and skilled laborers in American Samoa. With financial assistance from the Department of Interior and other federal agencies, ASCC will be able to train tradesmen and other skilled laborers in order to alleviate the negative effects of losing these individuals to the imminent military realignment in Guam. Such assistance will also help American Samoa to build and maintain local capacity for tradesmen and skilled laborers.
Cabotage
Air travel and cargo transport to and from the Territory remains a challenge in American Samoa. Frequent and consistent air travel and cargo transport are also key factors in effectively planning and developing long term economic development, especially in the industry of tourism. Tourism is a key sector that has been identified for development by every economic advisory study that has been conducted on the Territory.
The major challenge in planning out an effective tourism strategy is the availability of flights to and from the Territory. Our market, which uses the U.S. dollar, is seen as a challenge for enticing foreign tourism in the region. In order to encourage tourism from U.S. markets, affordable and available air transport is essential. Presently, American Samoa is serviced by one airline that has two flights per week. A waiver from the transportation cabotage rules would assist American Samoa in enticing another carrier to service our U.S. route creating greater accessibility and eventually lowering the exorbitant airfares our people currently pay to travel to and from the U.S.
Trade Agreements
The United States negotiates trade agreements with foreign countries regularly. These agreements have long-term impacts on the Territories. In American Samoa, these trade agreements have created inroads into the benefits that were once only available through the Territories, such as preferred tariff treatment and direct access to the U.S. market. American Samoa would like to suggest that before further trade agreements are negotiated and adopted by the U.S. Trade Representative, that DOI study and submit to the Territories, an analysis of the impact these agreements might have on the Territories. This will help us to gauge and develop measurements to alleviate any potential negative effects that these agreements may have on American Samoa and the Territories.
Emergency Visa Waiver Procedures
American Samoa is very concerned over the Department of Homeland Security, Border Control and Immigration procedures for emergency medevac patients from American Samoa. Recently, an infant born in American Samoa was traveling to Hawai’i from American Samoa for a medical emergency. His mother, a Samoan national, and an American Samoan nurse accompanied the infant. Immigration officials at the Honolulu International Airport detained the traveling party. During detention, the infant died while awaiting clearance from Immigration officials. This extremely unfortunate situation should never have occurred. It is American Samoa’s intent that this situation is never repeated, and therefore, we request that the procedures implemented by Immigration officials at the Honolulu International Airport be reviewed in detail and revised if necessary to ensure that similar situations and unnecessary loss of life are avoided at all costs.
Territorial Participation in Regional Organizations
American Samoa renews its request for State Department approval to participate as non-voting delegates in regional organizations such as the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Independent island nations and territories of other developed nations, namely France, surround American Samoa. Issues that are critical to the development of the region, of which we are a part, are discussed by these jurisdictions without the benefit of the viewpoints of American Samoa and the other U.S. Territories. French territories are given the benefit of full participation. American Samoa, Guam, and CNMI have proven time and again their patriotism and willingness to coordinate positions with the U.S. Department of State. Giving American Samoa and other U.S. Territories non-voting observer status falls in line with granting greater self-determination for the Territories and recognizes our commitment to and sacrifices for our mother country.
---americansamoa.gov---
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