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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR - AMERICANSAMOA
PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release – Thursday, May 21, 2009)
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Gov. Togiola meets with Faleomavaega and Nikolao Pula
(UTULEI) – Governor Togiola Tulafono today met in Washington DC with Congressman Faleomavaega Eni, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Nikolao Pula, and Deputy Director of Labor Policy for the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor Jody Calemine to ask for congressional assistance for American Samoa.
In a meeting this morning, Governor Togiola raised three main issues to Faleomavaega, Pula and Calemine, who serves Chairman George Miller of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor.
In specifically asking for congressional help for American Samoa’s economic situation, Governor Togiola requested (1) To terminate any further escalators of the minimum wage law as it applies to American Samoa. Or in the alternative, suspend the imposition of the next escalator due in May of 2010 for 12 months until the Territory has time to thoroughly review and react to the General Accounting Office study due in April of 2010.
“I indicated to everyone in this meeting that minimum wage has been a very critical factor in the closing of the canneries, and will result in American Samoa being deprived of any industries,” said Governor Togiola. “I also raised the same concern I expressed to Senator Inouye that Call Centers development is also very much in jeopardy because of the rapid escalation of minimum wage.”
Governor Togiola also requested (2) To enact a tax credit program or economic development program for American Samoa, similar to the draft legislation that was submitted along the lines of the present Section 30A tax credit system.
“We believe such a program has to target all industries that we must try and attract into American Samoa,” said Governor Togiola. “Without a tax credit program, there is absolutely no chance the Territory could attract any industry back to American Samoa.”
Governor Togiola proposed congressional assistance to (3) Introduce legislation that will exempt American Samoa from cabotage rules so that we can develop a new industry.
“I explained that if both canneries leave American Samoa, we will be left with absolutely no industry, and the only other industry we are going to go back to will be the federal government, which is not our desire nor our future,” said Governor Togiola. “We would much rather be self-sustaining and deal with the normal programs we are entitled to from federal programs, or competitive grants we can compete for. And exemption from cabotage will give us a fighting chance at developing tourism, which is the only sure industry that is self developing with the right tools, and with minimum investments. Tourism is also an ongoing industry in American Samoa, even as small as it is, and some of the basic infrastructure is already in place.”
Governor Togiola said he will follow up these concerns with letters to Congressman Miller and Congressman Faleomavaega, as well as other Members of Congress.
Governor Togiola at the meeting requested Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Pula to kindly follow up his letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar which requested help from DOI and the administration.
“We continue to look for support from the Interior and the Obama Administration as there is so much assistance that can come from the support of the administration in the areas that we are requesting assistance on,” said Governor Togiola. “We’ve made our case and we now patiently await a favorable response for help.”
After meeting with Congressman Faleomavaega, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Pula, and Deputy Director Calemine, Governor Togiola met with US Department of Commerce staff to discuss available programs that the department has that would greatly assist American Samoa in the redevelopment of the economy after the canneries leave.
“I posed to them the need to either develop new industry, or make available assistance to help us keep at least one cannery operating in American Samoa,” said Governor Togiola. “They were very helpful in directing our attention to specific programs, and they provided information to help us work better with their regional offices to put together applications for these programs.”
Assisting Governor Togiola at the meetings this week were: Mr. Ed Ing, ASG tax consultant; Mrs. Jan Lipsen, ASG Washington liaison; and CSM Filipo Ilaoa of the American Samoa Hawaii Office.
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