27 Jul 2012

Calls for American Samoa to vote on key issues

1:33 pm on 27 July 2012

The American Samoan member of the US Congress, Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, says the issues of US citizenship and the territory's political status should be put to voters in the November ballot.

Faleomavaega says he will propose to the Governor Togiola Tulafono and the Fono to develop legislation that would authorise these issues to be presented before the voters.

He says the question should ask whether all persons born in American Samoa should automatically receive US citizenship status.

And secondly whether American Samoa should maintain its current status as an unincorporated and unorganised US territory.

Faleomavaega says the two questions have been a topic of debate for more than 40 years, adding that the November election presents an opportunity for the people to decide what the future should be.