(RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL) — American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono and Congressman Faleomavaega Eni are contacting leaders of the U.S. Congress to ensure that American Samoa is not included in the federal minimum wage bill.
The U.S. House version of the measure, which also affects the Northern Marianas, was passed last week and a similar bill is to be considered by the U.S. Senate.
Togiola and Faleomavaega said the inclusion of American Samoa in the measure would be a disaster for the territory’s economy.
Faleomavaega plans to meet with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who said earlier that she plans to have American Samoa included in the measure before it goes to President Bush.
Faleomavaega said that increasing the territory’s minimum wage to mirror federal levels would devastate the local tuna industry.
He said more than 80 percent of the local private sector is dependent either directly or indirectly on the two canneries.
In a statement over the weekend, Togiola said including American Samoa in the bill would kill the territory’s economy.