A communique on the outcome of the Samoa talks is to be released today.
According to Samoa’s Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anasora Ale Molioo, in an interview with KHJ news yesterday, the next meeting will be held in Apia, in September, coinciding with the start of the year-long celebration of Samoa’s 60th anniversary of independence.
KVZK-TV was the only local media allowed in the talks.
KHJ News and Samoa News were only allowed in for the opening statements, then were asked to leave.
Samoa’s Talamua Media and the Samoa Government Press Secretariat covered from inside the meeting venue.
Owner of Talamua Media, Apulu Lance Polu, said Atoa o Samoa (United Samoa) has been adopted as the name of the Samoa talks.
This was proposed by American Samoa and used in the official meeting documents.
Issues which were covered include immigration with numerous complaints against the TalofaPass screening app with a call to terminate it.
A new 14-day short term travel permit is being reviewed especially for business and short term travelers from Samoa.
Inter-Samoa trade remains high in priority with Samoa looking at working with American Samoa on products that can access the main US market.
Samoa’s Scientific Research Laboratory (SROS) laboratory is eyeing the US market for some of its products.
Samples were presented by the malaga to reciprocate gifts of cash, wahoo and wine, from the hosts.
Products such as gluten-free breadfruit flour, sanitizers, whiskey made from taro.
Meanwhile, Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua told KHJ News that they hope to resume their bilateral meetings with the Samoa Ministry of Health, now that travel between the two sides is returning to normal.
Some have asked why American Samoa is hiring nurses and doctors from the Philippines and other countries, but not Samoa. When we asked why, Motusa said that Samoa and American Samoa have limited health personnel and they recognize that during pandemics, the hospitals and health institutions, in both countries, need all their medical professionals. He said, this is what DOH and LBJ consider when recruiting and the reason why they don’t hire medical staff from Samoa.
