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Gov. Lolo and Cong. Amata work to advance Am Samoa’s economic development interests

Pictured left to right: Richard Stanton of the Congresswoman’s office; Joseph “Iu” Pereira, Executive Assistant to the Governor; Starkist CEO Andrew Choe; Gov. Lolo Moliga; Congresswoman Aumua Amata; and Michelle Faist, StarKist Senior Advisor, Government Relations.  On Nov. 7, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga and a delegation from his cabinet, along with Congresswoman Aumua Amata, jointly held discussions with StarKist CEO Choe and other representatives of StarKist to make an aggressive, coordinated approach at b
Source: Media release, office of Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Washington, D.C. — Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga and Congresswoman Aumua Amata together advanced American Samoa’s economic development interests through a series of meetings throughout the week, including StarKist CEO Andrew Choe, the honorable Governor Gary Herbert of Utah, and also the honorable Randy Quarles, Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.

On Nov. 7, Governor Lolo and a delegation from his cabinet, along with Congresswoman Aumua Amata, jointly held discussions with StarKist CEO Choe and other representatives of StarKist to make an aggressive, coordinated approach at both the local and federal level to ensure all policies align for StarKist’s long term sustainable operations in American Samoa to the benefit of the local community. 

Discussions focused on making final passage of the American Samoa Economic Development Credit (the Section 30A tax credit), recently included in the House of Representatives tax reform bill by the Congresswoman, a top priority to ensure its inclusion in final passage in the tax bill expected by year’s end.

Also discussed was coordinating efforts to reestablish local control of minimum wage determination to make sure local businesses are globally competitive against their international counterparts, something the Obama Administration supported in testimony before the Congress.

“We are now in the House tax bill with the 30A provision, and with further effort from the Governor’s office and StarKist, we hope to be included in the final passage of the tax bill later this year," Congresswoman Amata said.

Also on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, Governor Lolo, his Delegation, and Congresswoman Amata met in Utah with Utah Governor Gary Herbert and newly appointed Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors Randall Quarles, respectively, concerning issues related to the establishment of the Territorial Bank of American Samoa (TBAS) in order to provide essential banking services to the Island.

Governor Lolo said, “I appreciate very much the guidance Vice Chairman Quarles provided on the regulatory process, and look forward to discussing his suggestions with the Fono to insure the best possible path forward to fully operationalize the Territorial Bank of American Samoa in the most timely fashion in order to provide ready access to essential banking services to our private and public sectors.

“I thank the Governor of Utah Gary Herbert and the Congresswoman Aumua Amata for their support to help make basic banking services affordable and readily available to those who most need it,” he concluded.