While the 20 acres of land in Kunia, Hawaii, that the Lemanu Talauega Administration is eyeing to buy is currently zoned for farming, the Governor said that this was also the case for land in surrounding areas that are now converted for residential and commercial development.
KHJ News had a one-on-one exclusive interview with Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga by Zoom this morning, to explain the proposed land purchased.
He said, a Vietnamese man in Honolulu made an offer to sell up to 65 acres of land for $20 million. He met with the man twice while on his trip to Hawaii last year.
Lt. Governor Talauega Eleasalo Ale has also seen the acreage; and Attorney General Fainuulelei Alailima Utu and Deputy AG Roy Hall Jr. are currently in Honolulu to conduct due diligence on the property.
Lemanu made clear that no decision has been made to buy the land. Everything is at the discussion and review stage at this time.
The reasons why he and the Lt. Governor are considering the land purchase, is as a future investment for the territory to earn revenues, to build accommodations for our people who go to Hawaii for medical referrals but can’t afford hotel accommodations and don’t have family in Hawaii, and to help students attending college in the Aloha state to stay rather than live with family.
Lemanu said, when the land offer first came up, they were also thinking of a place for “our people who were stranded off island during the pandemic to stay.”
Lemanu noted that the land is zoned for agricultural use but pointed out that this was also the case for areas such as Kapolei, Makakilo and Ewa, which are now residential areas.
Asked for the timeline to make a decision and purchase the land, the Governor said, “probably by next year.”
As for a funding source, he said that this has not been determined.
The Governor said, this is an undertaking for the government alone and there was no intention to involve the American Samoa Government Employees Retirement Fund.
He said, perhaps because he briefed the Fono leaders about the proposal, maybe the Board of the Retirement Fund has been mentioned, since the Senate President is also the chairman of the Retirement Fund Board of Trustees.
