Pago Pago

Thursday's flight out of Pago Pago operated as scheduled with the returning flight from Apia bringing local residents as well as workers that StarKist Samoa hired from Samoa under the territory's guest worker permit law.

However, Friday's flight will not operate due to the nationwide lockdown in Samoa for that country's two-day mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign.

Health director Motusa Tuileama Nua says all incoming passengers from Samoa will undergo the required quarantine at a designated government facility.

Fonoti Tafa'ifa Aufata raised the issue during yesterday's budget committee hearings for special programs administrated by the governor for the new fiscal year 2020.

Fonoti said she was trying to locate the $US100,000 the governor gave to the rugby team from Samoa.

The governor's chief of staff, Fiu Johnny Saelua, responded by saying it came from money allocated under the Governor's Contingency Fund and said it was up to the governor how this money was spent.

The service wharf for vessels ploughing between the territory's islands was built in the 1950s and was beginning to collapse after years of wear and tear.

The US$8.4 million upgrade is funded by the federal government.