The High Court of American Samoa has granted the territorial government's petition for a permanent injunction stopping businessman Avamua Dave Haleck and his family from developing a large portion of the only remaining lowland forest in the territory.
The legal battle over about 8 hectares of land that Avamua wants developed, has been on going for years and in 2008 the court issued a preliminary injunction barring him from developing it without obtaining a land use permit.
Last year the government moved for a permanent injunction arguing developments were approaching the rainforest, which is home to bird and tree species not found elsewhere in the territory.
