24 Sep 2009

American Samoa governor's plan to buy tuna cannery criticised

6:57 am on 24 September 2009

American Samoa's US congressman says the territorial government's push to spend five million dollars to buy a tuna cannery is the wrong move.

Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin's comment comes as the governor Togiola Tulafono prepares to tell the fono how he plans to pay for the Chicken of the Sea plant when Samoa Packing departs next week.

He says the governor's move has come out of the blue.

Faleomavaega says his main concern is who the Governor would bring in to run such a company.

"I have no idea what company that the Governor is negotiating with.... and my fear is that this company is probably doesn't have any capital or any money to invest in such a major industry like this. They're just probably going to be more or less like hired managers and hopefully if they make money, fine, and if they don't they're probably still get high paying wages. I'm sure."