$1M More For Arts Festival, $3M For Fiber Optic Cable
By Fili Sagapolutele in Pago Pago
Saturday: January 05, 2008
Read online at Pacific Magazine
Proceeds from a $20 million loan from the American Samoa Government Employees Retirement Fund will boost the territorial government’s contribution to the 10th
Festival of Pacific Arts Committee and partially fund development a fiber optic cable to connect the islands to the rest of the world.
The festival organization committee had announced last year that the government was contributing $1.5 million to assist with preparation of the regional event, which runs from July 20-Aug. 2. However, a Dec. 28 letter from Gov. Togiola Tulafono to the Fono leadership says that the government’s contribution to the festival has increased by $1
million.
According to a copy of the letter obtained by Pacific Magazine, $2.5 million goes to the organizing committee with $1.5 million to assist with logistics (e.g. accommodations, transportation) and $1 million to fund the food voucher program to feed the expected
2,000 participants.
The committee will provide food vouchers to arriving participants for three meals a day at any designated food vendors, restaurants or canteens located at the accommodation centers.
Festival committee co-chair Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde today said that the committee appreciates the government’s support.
“The festival has been a challenge for the committee in many ways including finances and we are happy that the government is supportive of this community effort,” Fagafaga told Pacific Magazine.
It’s unclear when the government will turn over the funds to the organizing committee, which estimated the entire festival budget to be $5.1 million.
Also to be funded with the $20 million loan is $3 million to help connect American Samoa to an undersea fiber optic cable. The U.S. Department of Interior has already pledged $3 million for the project, which Togiola hopes to be ready in early 2009
or sooner.
Last September, the governor signed a letter of intent three other parties to re-deploy the Pacific Rim East cable from American Samoa to Hawaii.
The Samoa News identifies the other three parties as Telecom New Zealand, Merchant Capital (an investment bank that focuses on public and project finance), and Elandia Incorporated, parent company of American Samoa-based Blue Sky Communications, and Fiji-based Datec, which merged with Blue Sky a few years back.
Other major projects to be funded with the loan proceeds includes $3 million for a new or renovated Legislative Building, $2 million for dredging and barging of the harbors and $3 million for a tug boat. |
