The President of Pago Pago-based South Seas Broadcasting has called on the American Samoa government to look locally in its efforts to improve broadcast communications to remote islands.
Larry Fuss says he finds it perplexing that the government is working with the Samoa Broadcasting Corporation in Apia to find ways to provide broadcast coverage for the Manu'a Islands group and Swains Island, especially during times of natural disasters.
Mr Fuss says American Samoa has the resources to provide broadcast coverage for all of the territory but needs government support.
He says it would only cost the government about 20,000 US dollars to provide the service.
"A territory of the United States shouldn't be depending on a foreign broadcast station for the dissemination of emergency messages. But if the government is really interested in extending broadcast service there, we could put what's called a translator or a repeater over there for very minimal cost if the government would just spend some of the money they waste on other crap for a repeater."
Larry Fuss of South Seas Broadcasting
