Governor Togiola Tulafono has asked Samoa Packing not to remove equipment from its Atuu plant so as to make it easier for another business to take over.
The governor reported on his radio program that he visited both the Samoa Packing and Star Kist Samoa plants last Thursday. The governor said that he wanted to see first hand the condition of both plants and ascertain if equipment at the two canneries was adequate in the event other companies may be found to continue canning operations. He said the good news is that there’s a lot of equipment that can be used after Samoa Packing leaves.
The governor said he has told the Samoa Packing management it should help lessen the hardship that the territory faces because of its departure. He felt it best to inform the cannery not to remove any other equipment or fixtures from its local plant so that it will be easier for another company to take over.
Togiola said this would be one less hurdle for a company that would be enticed to take over, if it had all the equipment here to continue operations. He said Samoa Packing would make a decision regarding his request and inform him in the near future.
In his discussions with Star Kist Samoa, the governor said there was no mention at all that the cannery had any plans to close down. The governor said though their discussions did not touch on whether Star Kist will close, he felt confident that if the cannery receives assistance that it needs, there’s a good possibility that the company will continue its local operations.
Togiola said that the three things that Star Kist requested cannot be solved by the local government, but by Congress and the federal government.
First is the minimum wage. Star Kist requested that the minimum wage increases be halted or even rolled back if possible. The governor promised that he will write to every member of Congress, including our own delegate to Congress to put a stop to the federally mandated yearly increase to the minimum wage.
Also discussed was a federal tax credit that would help not just the canneries but other companies that would set up in the territory. The governor said he is requesting Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin to take the lead role on the federal tax credit as only Congress can make it happen.
The third issue that congress needs to address is the provision which now allows foreign vessels homeported in American Samoa to send their fish to foreign countries to be loined and then canned in the United States. The governor said these vessels are sending their catches to other countries to the detriment of American Samoa.
The governor said he had opposed allowing vessels built in Taiwan to fish in US waters in the Pacific because there was no evidence that these vessels would bring their catches to American Samoa.
