His office, he added, is extending help and assistance to American Samoans residing in the CNMI.
He announced that newly confirmed Assistant Secretary for the Interior Anthony Babauta cancelled his trip yesterday to Saipan and headed instead to American Samoa.
In a statement, he said his team wanted to “lend a hand in the recovery efforts” in American Samoa.
“The early reports of loss of life and property damage in American Samoa and the neighboring country of Samoa is severe,” Babauta said. “Our prayers and sympathy are with those who lost loved ones in this tragedy as well as those who have been injured.”
Babauta said he called American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono to assure him of federal disaster response efforts.
Fitial said Babauta personally called him yesterday to inform him about their cancelled meeting.
Babauta made similar phone calls to Senate President Pete P. Reyes, Speaker Arnold I. Palacios and CNMI Congressman Gregorio C. Sablan.
According to Babauta, “Once the situation in American Samoa is stabilized, I will make plans to return to the CNMI. I am concerned with the magnitude and difficulty of the economic and immigration issues facing the CNMI and I hope to convey that this administration is committed to implementing U.S. immigration law with flexibility.”
