By Staff Writer
Talks between the two Samoas are heading to Apia next month in September expected to follow up on issues raised last week in American Samoa.
The talks are timed to co-incide with the Teuila Festival and the extended celebration of the 60th independence anniversary.
The two days of talk last Thursday and Friday in American Samoa is the first for Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa and her FAST party since they took over the Government.
PM Fiame headed a large delegation of several Cabinet Ministers and CEOs of selected Ministries.
A wide range of issues were discussed by the two sides with economic opportunities and the COVID 19 pandemic the main topics, according to KVZK television news coverage.
The talks were held under the ‘Atoa o Samoa’ or ‘Samoa As One’ spirit to highlight close co-operation.
Communications, Agriculture, Finance, Tourism, Digital Economy, Trade and Travel were listed by media reports as among the issues discussed.
No official agreements were signed but the discussions were mainly on each side voicing matters of importance to each other to see how they can work together.
Digital economy was among the issues raised by American Samoa with the potential for trade developments and consumer protections.
Health exchange and sharing of information were put forth by the visitors especially with the spread of diseases like measles and COVID between the two islands.
American Samoa Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and PM Fiame underlined close family ties and how COVID in the last 2 years prevented members from getting together.
Former Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, with his experience of many years of close exchanges, fully supports the talks and the success they brought in the past.
“We used to send one of our barges to carry fuel between Tutuila and Manu’a and when we run short of oxygen at our National Hospital, we call on American Samoa for help,” Tuilaepa recalled.
He sees a promising future between the two Samoas by working together as they have been doing since the talks started over the years the HRPP was in Government.
Tuilaepa is continuing to push for infrastructure developments between the closest points of the two islands at Leone in Tutuila and Aleipata at Upolu for shorter travel.
A start has been made already with a wharf and an airport at Aleipata and all it needs for a short 2-hour boat trip between the islands is for a wharf built at Leone on the Tutuila side.
“We have to improve on the infrastructure to build the economies on both sides as the population continues to grow on both sides. ”
No specific mentions were made during the talks last week of the infrastructural developments the former Prime Minister is trying hard to push.
Work on the new airport at Tiavea, Aleipata, has stopped since the Fiame Government took over with its future uncertain until after a forensic audit called for the project costs to be reviewed.
While Tuilaepa shows full support for the talks he did not appreciate the Government paying for party MPs and supporters travels to join the delegation.
Some reportedly arrived on the inter-island vessel Lady Naomi for what was reported as fundraising by the Government party under the pre-text of attending the Samoa Talks.