The American Samoan governor, Togiola Tulafono, has expressed his concern over the way Washington deals with its territories.
Testifying at a Congressional committee in Washington, Togiola said the U.S. government had to begin giving more serious thought to the political status of several of its territories.
He says the United States has an obligation to negotiate a modern agreement with American Samoa.
Togiola says the U.S. Congress is now applying federal laws to the territories that should be part of negotiations about their political status.
He says these laws are often passed without consultations.
According to the governor, the laws often ignore consideration of the economic or social impacts upon the territories, often with devastating results such as the federalisation of the minimum wage and immigration.
Furthermore, he said the United States has an obligation to negotiate a modern agreement with American Samoa.
