Pago Pago faipule Vesiai Poyer Samuelu informed the House today that an eye witness saw Rep Faimealelei Anthony Allen, who is supposed to be in quarantine lockdown at the Tradewinds Hotel, in Fagatogo yesterday.
He said the witness told Faimealelei that he should never have left his room at the hotel because he’s in quarantine but all he did was laugh.
Vesiai told KHJ News in a follow up interview that the witness is a relative of the faipule and she was quite upset when she saw him yesterday.
During today’s House session, Vesiai said the reason why he’s bringing the matter up is to illustrate what is really happening and the lapse in the enforcement of protective measures.
Vesiai was vocal during the hearing with DOH and LBJ officials yesterday concerning the FEMA agent that was refused entry while Rep Faimealelei and his wife, the only other passengers on the same flight from Honolulu, were taken to the hotel to be quarantined.
The FEMA official had received a positive COVID-19 test on June 29 but was negative in a test on July 15, two days before she arrived here.
Vesiai said his children had booked a room at the Tradewinds Hotel over the weekend and he only found out on Sunday about the travelers being quarantined there.
He said the hotel is where the community gathers for celebrations like birthdays, weddings and to socialize. There’s no guarantee that the faipule and his wife were not exposed to the virus during the flight with the FEMA agent, he insisted.
Vesiai said he was concerned for the health of his children, patrons of the hotel as well as its employees.
During a hearing with the Commissioner of Public Safety before the House session Vesiai asked Commissioner Le’i if it’s a crime for people in quarantine to leave the site during the quarantine period.
The commissioner said it is prohibited and can be prosecuted.
Vice Speaker Fetu Fetui who chaired today’s session has assigned the chairman of the House Health Committee, Rep Vesi Fautanu to investigate the matter.
Rep Faimealelei’s cell phone was turned off when KHJ News tried to call him while the Tradewinds Hotel reception desk said that we had to know his hotel room in order for a call to be put through.
