"FACING
REALITY"
Dear Editor,
I give credit
to the American Samoa Government for establishing an Economic
Development Council with the private sector and the Chamber of
Commerce for looking into ways to diversify the economy. I applaud
the labor study for what it's worth but all of this rhetoric
is twenty years too late.
How do you diversify
something you do not own? Samoans own the land and coconut trees
but this economy is owned by Asian businesses. It was given away
years ago through greed and corruption and consumers supporting
these enterprises for the low prices as local businesses were
undercut and disappeared one by one to be replaced by Asians
as fast as they closed their doors.
From that time
to the present we've had a cash flow shortage needed to support
a fragile economy such as ours as millions of dollars leaves
the Territory. The basic family needs, food, clothing, and merchandise
is controlled by Asian businesses.
It's time for
our leaders to leave Shangri-la and face reality once in a while.
There is an unending list of problems to tackle but not the economy,
you gave that away a long time ago.
Jim Brittle
"CONTAINER
INSPECTIONS"
Dear Editor,
I had to laugh
when I read of the postponement of the Trial Run for centralizing
container inspections because the vessel that was to be used
in the trial was arriving later than originally scheduled.
Welcome to the
REAL WORLD! This is what can and does happen. I hope this will
open up the eyes of the people who think centralizing container
inspections will work. It won't!
Still Smiling
"REMOVAL
OF DPW DIRECTOR"
Dear Editor,
It really saddens
me that our own lawmakers would want to remove someone from serving
their post as Director for one of the major departments in the
American Samoa Government.
This is nothing
new! What can the Director do if he doesn't have control of the
funds that are set-aside for a certain project? Yes, funds have
been approved for some of these projects, but until they are
released to DPW so they can get started with the project, nothing
can be done.
I really wish
that our lawmakers would wake up and smell the coffee. Stop trying
to put the blame on the Director! This is all politics and you
senators know it! Let's be real! I mean come on, if Taeaotui
wasn't doing his job right in the eyes of God, then he would've
been history like some of the other past Directors in the government.
OOPS!
Signed,
FF
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