30 Jul 2009

Samoa company considers setting up fish processing plant

3:32 pm on 30 July 2009

A food company in Samoa says its taking a chance by considering setting up a fish processing plant in order to save workers' jobs at American Samoa's cannery.

The director of Natural Foods International, Papalii Grant Percival says the idea arises from concerns about the cannery closure and the impact it will have on two Samoan plants.

He says 80 percent of the workers in American Samoa are Samoan and he says this is one reason why the company's looking into the concept.

"Truthfully they're baby steps and I don't know if anything will come of it. But, I prefer that we take a chance and have a go then to just sit and just hope that something else will happen."

Papalii Grant Percival says its working on getting equipment for the proposed plant as well as continuing talks with investors and government officials about the project.