26 Apr 2006

American Samoa to use Katrina funds for study

1:31 pm on 26 April 2006

American Samoa's Governor, Togiola Tulafono, has signed a bill that will use 200,000 US dollars intended for the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund to pay for the future Political Status Study Commission.

The governor has told the House Speaker and Senate President that the bill is a crucial investment in the political growth of the territory and its people.

The funding source for the appropriation is the insurance payout from Hurricane Val insurance funds.

Last year, the Fono approved an administration request for 250,000 US dollars to support emergency crews from American Samoa to help rehabilitation efforts in the Gulf States devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

But in January, the governor explained that the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not feel that this kind of help was necessary.