Senate names their delegation for Atoa Samoa talks

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — During last week Tuesday’s session, Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean announced the names of the three senators who will be part of American Samoa’s delegation to the “Atoa Samoa” talks — or inter Samoa talks — set in the territory this week on Apr. 12 and Apr. 13.

Tuaolo says that the appointed senators head committees with oversight responsibilities on issues such as public safety, to health, and immigration matters — which are very important for the two-Samoas.

The three senators are, Fai’ivae Iuli Godinet, chairman of the Senate Public Safety/ Homeland Security Committee; Ponemafua Tapeni, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee; and Tuiagamoa Tavai, chairman of the Senate Judiciary/ Immigration Committee — who also co-chairs the Senate Health/ Hospital Committee.

Tuaolo had initially appointed Sen. Tuiasina Dr. Salamo Laumoli, chairman of the Health/ Hospital Committee, but Tuiasina announced that he will be off island at the time of the Atoa Samoa talks and therefore unable to attend.

The Senate President acknowledged Tuiasina’s statement saying that Tuiagamoa will represent health and hospital issues. And he reiterated that the Senate members to the Atoa Samoa talks would represent very important issues pertaining to American Samoa, including permits and immigration.

He noted an important issue raised earlier in the week by Fai’ivae, on U.S. nationals, who are U.S. passport holders traveling to Apia, can also be taken up in the Samoa talks.

During last week Monday’s session, Fai’ivae said U.S. nationals, who travel on U.S passports are required to obtain an entry permit prior to entering Samoa. He said U.S. citizens, who hold U.S. passports aren’t required entry permits, thus U.S. national are being treated differently.

He believes that as long as a U.S. national travels with a valid US passport, they should be treated as fairly/ equally as U.S. citizens with U.S. passports. He suggested that this issue be included in the Atoa Samoa agenda meeting for discussion.

At Tuesday’s session, Tuaolo recalled that this policy by the Samoa government was implemented many years ago, during the time of the Togiola Administration, over the treatment here of a group of travelers from Samoa, and their travel permits.

Tuaolo hopes that a resolution can be reached on this important issue for U.S. nationals at next week’s Atoa Samoa talks.

Samoa News notes that it was the time of then Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegoi, that this policy for U.S. nationals requiring entry permits was implemented several years ago, following an American Samoa regulation requiring citizens of Samoa to obtain an entry permit into the territory.

There was much local debate and criticism at the time over this entry policy by Samoa but Tuilaepa maintained his stand.

While U.S. nationals are required to obtain permits prior to entry in Samoa, this is not the case for U.S. citizens and citizens of many other countries.

However, the American Samoa entry permit requirement applies to non-US citizens and nationals from ALL foreign countries.

BACKGROUND

Samoa News should point out that the issue has been raised several times between the two Samoas during the time of PM Tuilaepa. At one time — whether it was offered by Samoa or American Samoa is unknown — a quid pro quo was offered: If American Samoa or Samoa removes the requirement for a permit, so shall the other.