Senate president calls for incrased taxes on sugary drinks

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean has directed Senators to look into increasing the taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages in the territory.

Tuaolo made the call during a Senate session this week, over claims the number of dialysis patients continues to increase.

“A lot of children are obese as a result of these sugar-sweetened drinks. Hike the taxes, we shouldn’t be sitting around,” he said during one of the sessions this week.

“We shouldn’t let the government off the hook,” Tuaolo added.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are increasingly used by countries around the world to incentivize healthy beverage choices.

Currently the taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages is 72 percent.

A study by Australia and New Zealand Public Health Journal says the Pacific region is recorded as some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world; and it has undergone rapid changes in nutrition with the increasing importation of processed food and dependency on trade and and there are a high proportion of low and middle-income countries.

Findings are likely to be relevant to countries elsewhere particularly small island developing states.

Furthermore in the Pacific the Ministers of Health and Finance have declared a non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis, stating that the financial costs of NCDs are unsustainable.

In the American Samoa Adult Hybrid Survey published in 2018, Director of Health, Motusa Tuilaeama Nua says American Samoa as many of its neighbors in the Pacific region has been plagued with non communicable diseases that are currently among the leading causes of death and disability among the people.

According to the data from the survey under chronic conditions for American Samoans compared to America for obesity records says it’s 93 percent in the territory compared to 71.6 percent in America; diabetes is 33 percent in American Samoa whereas 12.2 percent for America.

CONFIRMATION PROCESS UNDERWAY FOR LBJ BOARD

The Senate on Wednesday introduced a Resolution appointing House Representative Faimealelei A. Allen to the Legislature for confirmation as a member of the American Samoa Medical Center Board of Directors.

According to the Resolution, Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga in his letter, says following appointment of Moefa’auo Bill Emmsley from the American Samoa Medical Center Board of Directors as CEO, there is a vacant seat.

The term for Faimealelei is for two years and would expire on April 10, 2026.

“I believe that Representative Allen’s years of experience public administration will be an asset to the Board of Directors. “I urge you and your colleagues to review and confirm the nomination of the Honorable Representative Faimealelei Anthony Allen to the American Samoa Medical Center Board of Directors.”

The Resolution has been assigned to Chairman of the Senate Hospital and Public Health Tuiagamoa Tavai.  

RED CROSS LEASE FOR 55 YEARS APPROVED

The Senate this week approved the lease for American Red Cross, American Samoa Chapter for a term of 55 years beginning on May 1 2022, and expiring on April 30, 2077.

According to the resolution, any lease of 10 or more years duration pertaining to government-controlled real property may be disapproved by the Legislature pursuant to section 37.2030 ASCA within 30 days after being submitted to the Legislature. 

In a letter to the President of the Senate on April 20, 2022, the parties to the aforementioned lease submitted to the fono a request for a lease term of 55 years to begin May 01, 2022, and expiring April 30, 2077.