3 Feb 2016

American Samoa Fono leader spurns salary protest

8:21 am on 3 February 2016
American Samoa's House of Representatives chamber during the vote on the bill to increase salaries.

American Samoa's House of Representatives chamber during the vote on the bill to increase salaries. Photo: Supplied

The president of the American Samoa Fono or Senate says it will not have anything to do with today's protest against a bill to to almost double legislators' salaries.

The group, United Citizens of American Samoa, is holding a demonstration against the salary bill this morning and on Thursday.

The President Gaoteote Togafau Palaie said the Fono does not work according to the wishes of "people who roam the streets and take their issues to the media."

But he said it is people's right to protest.

The bill proposes senators' annual salaries rise from 25-thousand US dollars to 45-thousand and the President's and Speaker's salary rise from 30 to 50-thousand.