20 Jun 2011

Veterans in American Samoa threaten to remove buildings

7:06 am on 20 June 2011

The American Samoa Veterans Association is threatening to take two buildings with it, if it's forced to leave the land it leases, without compensation.

The association is taking legal action against the territorial government, which is contending that the association's lease has long expired, but the veterans say the lease is valid until 2017.

The secretary of the Veterans Association Sualevai Nofoaiga says the two buildings on the site belong to the Association.

He says in the worst case scenario, the veterans will take the buildings away if they are forced off the land without compensation.

"The land belongs to the government of American Samoa. But the buildings belong to the VA association. So there are several ways we can do with the buildings -either that or we can take the building down or you know. But I'm hoping we don't come to that situation."

Sualevai Nofoaiga says the court is due to hear the case early next month.