20 Jul 2011

American Samoa government owes its power utility millions

3:06 pm on 20 July 2011

The American Samoa government's debt with the utility company, the American Samoa Power Authority, or ASPA, has climbed to more than five million US dollars.

The troubled utility, which is state owned, has been forced into financial constraints because it is owed a total of nine million dollars by its users.

The ASPA chief financial officer, Susana Faiivae, has told the House utility committee that more than half of that is owed by the government.

She says ASPA is working with the Treasury Department to seek payment.