Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Toward the end of the hearing into the Forfeiture Law amendment on Monday, Senator Soliai T. Fuimaono spoke to the Senate about a rehabilitation center for repeat drug offenders.

In his plea to his fellow Senators, he spoke about acquiring a stable solution in lieu of the drug epidemic plaguing American Samoa.

“We should have rehabilitation centers, like they do in the mainland United States, that have doctors and other professional to rehabilitate and re- educate repeated drug offenders because after these offenders serve their time, they are released and continue that same cycle,” stated Senator Soliai.

In addition, he called for government officials and church leaders to come together to achieve this common goal.

In previous reports by Samoa News, Lt Gov Talauega E.V. Ale had suggested compiling a register that identifies illegal drug users, drug dealers and the areas of the territory where drugs are sold as one of the efforts by the community to combat this particular problem in American Samoa.

Additionally, Talauega also stated that they will “be looking” at establishing a Rehabilitation Center to centralize the work in assisting those who are taking drugs and searching for a cure.

A former attorney general, the Lt Governor also stated that American Samoa has not conducted a drug assessment report to find out how controlled substances are entering American Samoa since the early 2000s — and that is something on which work must be done.

It was also suggested that the Customs division and Port be thoroughly investigated by the American Samoa Comprehensive Substance Abuse Council (CSAC). Records indicate that Talauega also suggested that a registry of drug users be compiled in order to identify drug users, drug dealers and areas where controlled substances are being stored, processed, and sold.

Last year the Department of Health announced the planning phase establishing the CSAC, including the development of a $17M local rehabilitation program.

This was confirmed by Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga in the written version of his English speech provided at the opening of the Fono last year in July.

That same year, the Governor issued an executive order establishing the CSAC composed of government, private, and at-large community members with a focus on education/outreach, enforcement & investigation, and treatment/ rehabilitation.

The Governor said at the time that the $17M local rehabilitation facility would provide long overdue care to community members seeking treatment and other evidence-based interventions.