29 Oct 2003

American Samoan senators urged to avoid a federally funded trip to Samoa

4:56 pm on 29 October 2003

The Vice Chairman of the American Samoan Senate Select Investigative Committee, Senator Te'o Fuavai, has urged his colleagues not to accept a federally funded trip to Apia organised by the Department of Commerce.

14 political leaders have been invited on an all expenses paid trip to inspect the state of coral reefs and what Samoa is doing to preserve them.

But the Senator told the Senate today (wed) that members of the Committee should not accept the trip because they are currently investigating the Department of Commerce's spending of public funds.

He says it would be improper to go on the trip while the investigation is underway.

The trip is an initiative of the Governor's Task Force on Coral Reefs comprising officials from Marine Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Commerce.