29 Apr 2013

Free shipping for American Samoa's Manu'a

10:32 am on 29 April 2013

The American Samoa governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga says residents will no longer have to pay shipping costs to send food items and supplies to Manu'a via the government vessel MV Sili.

The announcement was revealed during a cabinet meeting recently.

Lolo says he has asked Port director Taimalelagi Dr Claire Poumele to allow residents to ship food items and building supplies to Manu'a for free beginning on the next voyage of the Sili next week.

He says government departments will still pay shipping costs to send their items to Manu'a, but for the general public, these fees will be waived.

"If they send materials for houses and for renovations, ship them free. Even at the bank, you make a loan for 10 thousand dollars, they will add another 3 thousand dollars for shipping, and yet they [Manua] are part of this territory. Manu'a will never be developed unless we do something different. So let's start with shipping those things free, starting on the next voyage."

The American Samoa governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga .