American Samoa's Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga has called for a massive lift in funding to each US territory under the federal Capital Improvement Project, or CIP.
Lolo Matalasi Moliga at his State of the Territory address. Photo: RNZI / Monica Miller
He said each territory should get $US50 million.
Lolo made the bold suggestion during the recent meeting of the federal Interagency Group on Insular Areas in Washington DC.
Currently American Samoa gets $US9.61 million in CIP funding.
Lolo said it was clear the current grants were insufficient for the building of local economic and social infrastructure systems.
He said the territories needed federal help to empower them to help themselves.
Infrastructure projects built with CIP funds are prioritised by each territory and subject to federal government approval.
Improvements to health care in American Samoa are a top priority.
