Cabinet Ministers from the Faatuatua I le Atua Ua Tasi (FAST) administration last Friday visited American Samoa’s biggest employer, StarKist Samoa.
Led by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, her Cabinet ministers joined the morning prayers before the shift started and the production area was a sea of red, the color of the FAST Party at the canneries whereas the majority of its employees are from Samoa.
The visit was in line with the guest workers from Samoa.
Last month, the American Samoa Covid-19 Task Force confirmed that 200 workers who were approved for the program before travel was interrupted due to the first community case of Covid.
In April, the American Samoa Government issued a statement reporting on 906 block permits were issued for potential guest workers, and to date, 772 guest workers were approved and are working in the territory.
“Of those who have arrived, two were returned to Samoa immediately, and five of the workers have had their sponsorship terminated by StarKist.”
Attorney General Fainuulelei Alailima Utu commended the Lemanu-Talauega Administration’s initiative to continue the Guest Worker Program to continue to operate before and after the COVID-19 community spread which in turn has provided employment opportunities to over 2,000 employees, and opportunities for many supporting businesses.
Attorney General Fainuulelei in his report says that 765 guest workers have signed agreement forms with the Immigration Division of the Department of Legal Affairs, StarKist, and their host families.
Additionally, each worker has been issued Immigration Identifications (ID) for employment.
