Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Frustrated and disappointed with the ASG’s TALOFAPASS websystem, which screens entry into American Samoa, people have signed on to two separate petitions circulating online calling for the elimination and dismantling of TALOFAPASS, that launched in the latter part of 2021 as American Samoa prepared to resume commercial flights between Pago Pago and Honolulu.
The online petitions come amid growing concerns and complaints from travelers, future travelers as well as their family members over the need to continue using this ASG Safe Travel portal for American Samoa, following problems with registration and confirmed passengers trying to get the final approval code to board a flight to Pago Pago.
There have also been questions about the need for this system any longer — for which ASG allocated some $8 million funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act money — what with the COVID-19 virus already circulating in American Samoa and travelers no longer required to pre-test for the coronavirus prior to entering the territory.
The first petition was lunched on Aug. 3 by a person with initials J.M of Aiea, Hawai’i to “Eliminate TalofaPass” and a screenshot of the TALOFAPASS websystem logo with the bold words “DUMP TALOFAPASS”. A search on Facebook — as the petition link is shared and retagged by users — gives the name of the person, who launched the petition, as John Mailo, who also posted the launch of the petition on his Facebook page.
“TalofaPass continues to be a stressful process for travelers to American Samoa. It is high time that this system be dismantled,” the petition declared and noted that a few elected officials have voiced their concerns about TALOFAPASS and passengers continue to complain about its effectiveness.
“We have yet to see any data published for the public so that we may have the confidence to trust its process. Recent incidents indicate the negligence of the TalofaPass office to address the needs of the travelers in a timely manner,” it says.
“Some ranging from 2-3 days and even the day of travel to receive any communication or approval to travel from the TalofaPass office,” it says. “Join me and the thousands of travelers to American Samoa, resident or non-resident, business associates or not, leisure travelers, vacationers or whatever your travel purpose is, TalofaPass is a waste of resources and funds.”
The petition declared: “Let us stand together in solidarity and ELIMINATE the TalofaPass and use the funds for a better cause.”
Many comments posted to the petition’s online page, echoed concerns and complaints received by Samoa News and circulated on social media for the last few months, about the confusion and frustration over the registration process.
“I’m signing because I'm tired of the nonsense and unnecessary stress we have to go thru in trying to obtain approval from this so called Talofapass for families from Samoa. They had to reschedule their trip twice due to this Talofapass; it's just causing stress more than helping us as a community,” said one commentor.
When it was initially launched, the petition was seeking about 500 signatures but John Mailo posted on his Facebook page on Aug. 10 that “I’m seeing a lot of frustrated travelers with TalofaPass. Aiming for 2k-3k. It just passed 1k. I am giving this online petition one more week, and then we will deliver the signatures and comments to our respective Representatives.”
As of early yesterday morning, the number of signatures is edging towards 1,400 with the new goal of 1,500.
SECOND PETITION
Launched on Aug. 9, Princess Auva’a — who currently resides on the U.S. mainland — circulated the second petition “to DISMANTLE the TalofaPass and remove it as a traveling requirement to and from American Samoa. Our people have been stranded and kept from traveling to our home since COVID and are now wanting to travel without restrictions nor problems.”
Since the development of TALOFAPASS, “there have been nothing but complaints from the people of American Samoa about it,” according to the petition, which as of early morning has received 151 signatures and is aiming for 200.
Auva’a also posted on her Facebook page a “Dear ASG” open letter saying that “TalofaPass has been nothing but an inconvenience that has brought forth disorder for our people traveling to and from our home island!”
“IT DOES NOT WORK and IT WILL NEVER WORK with how disorganized this system is,” the letter states in part and called to “Dismantle” this system “and return traveling to the way is has always been. TalofaPass DOES NOT WORK!”
And this petition has also prompted people to post comments in support. “I’m signing because TalofaPass has given my family members a hard time to come back home. It is really a waste of time and money,” said one commenter.
The two petitions are circulated online portal (www.change.org). At press time, Samoa News received information that a third petition aiming to get rid of TALOFAPASS is expected to be launched in the coming days.
The Lemanu-Talauega Administration has maintained that it will keep TALOFAPASS and that this system does work in screening travelers entering the territory. But several lawmakers have called for the elimination of this system, saying that it has caused more pain and headache for travelers. (See yesterday’s Samoa News edition on latest House hearing involving TALOFAPASS.)
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