18 Apr 2008

Call centre company considering operations in American Samoa

10:04 am on 18 April 2008

An international call centre company, Mindpearl , says it will decide within 30 days whether or not it will set up a call centre in America Samoa.

Four officials of the company spent their one day in the territory in meetings with government officials before flying out again.

Mindpearl, with branches in Europe, Africa, Australia and the United States serves many international airlines.

Fiji and American Samoa are the two South Pacific locations it is eyeing for call centres to serve clients in North America and Europe.

Company CEO William Pattison says American Samoa's labour pool and telecommunications services are key attractions but the company will also need to find suitable premises.

"There's an issue with the faciities From what we've been told, there are not many buildings available and one would actually need to build their own building or find a lease to a large property. Because it would need to start at about ten thousand square feet and move to up to twenty thousand square feet in a very short period of time."