Customs Scanners Arriving at the End of September

scanners

The customs scanners are scheduled to arrive in the territory towards the end of next month.

While the original plan was to get six scanners, Chief of Customs Moetulu’i Fuiava Sipili tells KHJ News that only four have been purchased, because some of the funding that was originally allocated for the scanners  is going to the LBJ Hospital.

$10 million was the amount that  the American Samoa Economic Development Authority Board had originally allocated for the six scanners.

After the Senate raised objections on why all this money was going to buy scanners when there were more pressing needs such as getting medical supplies for the hospital, Governor Lolo Moliga directed ASEDA to hold off on the purchase.

Then the LBJ Task Force headed by Utu Abe Malae requested ASEDA for funding from the bond proceeds for LBJ.

ASEDA, with the Governor’s blessing, approved $2.97 million to fund equipment for the LBJ Hospital.

According to Customs Chief Moetulu’i, two small scanners which will be used at the airport, Post Office and a mobile unit which can be used anywhere are arriving at the end of next month.

A larger scanner which is the one intended to scan containers at the main dock is being manufactured according to specifications for use in American Samoa and should be arriving later in the year.

The scanners are supplied by  Rapiscans System of Torrance, California the only company that submitted a bid to provide the scanners during the bidding process.

A bill which authorizes the use of the scanners and sets fees that importers will pay for their use has been submitted by the administration, to the Fono for approval.

No hearings have been set on the scanner legislation.

Moetulu’i comments that the smuggling of illegal items such as guns and drugs into the territory is on the increase and the scanners are needed to detect what’s coming in on containers.

He said they’ve noticed an increase in contraband arriving in containers labeled personal  and this seems to be the tactic that smugglers are resorting to.

 

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