Some faipule and now a non-profit group want the TalofaPass system ended

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A non-profit group will be hosting a peaceful protest this Thursday morning to voice their concerns and frustrations over the TALOFAPASS websystem and they’re asking government leaders to eliminate it.

The TALOFAPASS issue was discussed recently during two House Health committee hearings with members of the LBJ Hospital and the director of Health, Motusa Tuileana Nua.

Limited answers were provided to the committee after American Samoa Medicaid Director Sandra King-Young failed to turn up for the hearing.

Vice Speaker Fetu Fetui Jr told the hearing that he had received a lot of complaints from his constituency about how frustrating TALOFAPASS is and the fact no one can give an exact answer on why it takes it so long for the system to approve a passenger’s request.

Fetu said a couple from his constituency was unable to board the flight from Honolulu to American Samoa because they were not registered in TALOFAPASS.

“When the couple got to Honolulu Airport to return to the territory two weeks ago, an employee at Hawaiian Airlines informed them that their names was not on the list. This surprised the couple because, as far as they were concerned, they had already completed all the questions and uploaded the needed documents,” Fetu said.

According to Fetu, the airline showed the couple a list from TALOFAPASS and their names weren’t on it. The couple was told that any names not on the list are automatically taken off the flight manifest.

“This system serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever other than excuses for COVID funding. It’s a waste of time and money,” Fetu said.

Motusa told the House committee the review of TalofaPass applications is done by physicians. He said he believes the delay in the issuance of approvals is not from DoH but the system itself.

Samoa News understands that a large number of travelers who were booked to arrive on Monday’s Hawaiian Airlines flight could not board because of issues related to TALOFAPASS. At the same time, some travelers who were not on theTALOFAPASS registry did make the flight.

Fetu advised Motusa to advise the task force to put a stop to the TALOFAPASS process because people are facing a lot of problems and it’s not helping our people.

He said one of the common complaints about TALOFAPASS is the delay in getting approval for entry into American Samoa from the system. For most travelers, approval comes a day before or the day of travel and the waiting from when the application is filed to when approval is given can be stressful.

Fetu said TALOFAPASS is causing much chaos and stress for travelers and this shouldn’t be this way.

Motusa said he would mention this issue during the next task force meeting.

One of the many issues discussed during the Samoa talks last month was TALOFAPASS. Samoa’s Health Minister Valasi Selesele Tafito said the most affected by TALOFAPASS are Samoans who have no online access or ability to apply. He asked that a simpler and more friendly system be used to realize the spirit of cooperation, as embodied in the 2Samoa talks.

Samoa News observed several passengers from Samoa were unable to board the Samoa Airways flight to American Samoa last week because their names were not on the list.

A young couple was denied boarding at Samoa Airways from Faleoloa Airport last week because they didn’t get approval from TALOFAPASS on time.

One woman told Samoa News that she signed up and filled out the form over a month ago, and it’s still under review. “I have been trying to contact the TALOFAPASS office and no one picks up at the number they gave,” she said.

Another traveler said the system has been a burden for travelers from Hawaii and Samoa and many have sought help from government leaders because they have encountered problems with their travels to the territory due to TALOFAPASS.

The numerous complaints about TALOFAPASS are getting the attention of ASG authorities. A traveler from Hawaii who spoke to Samoa News about his experience with the TALOFAPASS said that what appears to be the main cause of travelers being denied boarding on flights from Samoa and Hawaii is the last step in the TP registration.

The traveler said this is the questionnaire one has to fill out after they receive the notice that their trip is approved.

The system issues that questionnaire 48 hours before travel. It’s not available on the same day that a traveler receives the email of their trip being approved.

During the task force discussion two weeks ago, many members were convinced that the TALOFAPASS system should be suspended. The task force was advised that TALOFAPASS was noted as “the cloud based solution” saying American Samoa is way ahead of other territories and states.

According to the task force, it’s not time to “throw in the towel” — it’s time to sit down and look at this. It would be a great loss if TALOFAPASS is dismissed.

BACKGROUND

DoH in its recent report presented during last week’s COVID-19 Task Force briefing noted that there were discrepancies between number of passengers on the Hawaiian Air manifest, on TALOFAPASS, as well as those passengers tested upon arrival. No explanation was offered and the DoH director is said to have requested a meeting with HA about the issue.

Also, at the same task force meeting, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga was reported by Attorney General Fainu’ulelei Falefatu Alailima Utu in his capacity as vice chair of the task force and the acting Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR), to want the process of registering on TALOFAPASS to be streamlined.

“If people have proper documents, we want to help them and not stop them from traveling when they get to Airport and TALOFAPASS registration is not complete.

“We want to make it easy for people to travel but at the same time, secure our borders,” according to minutes of the briefing and ASG officials, who attended it.