Open Letter to TalofaPass-Inter Samoa travel

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Talofa lava Ms King-Young,

I write to you and everyone that are behind Talofa Pass; that we, the citizens of American Samoa, and legal residents of American Samoa request to please amend the heavy restrictions and complexities of Talofa Pass, for citizens of American Samoa and legal residents of American Samoa, to travel back from Apia.

First, you direct us to contact our bookings directly with the airlines. Then to register on Talofa Pass. We comply, yet when we arrive at Faleolo, we are told our names are not on “your list.” Why is it that there are heavy restrictions to return to American Samoa? Was Talofa Pass not created to stop COVID-19 from entering American Samoa? The virus is already in the territory. The Task-Force also encourages the population of American Samoa to live with COVID by taking preemptive measures to ensure that oneself is safe, as well as immediate surroundings by wearing masks and having the vaccine shots.

When we travel to Samoa, it is for very important reasons, for us as American Samoa citizens and American Samoa legal residents. The Samoan Consulate makes travelling from Pago Pago to Apia an easy and straightforward process.

Whereas for us to return from Apia, we have to go through unnecessary and heavy restrictions just to return from Apia.

The restrictions put in place originally for Talofa Pass make sense for citizens and residents returning from Hawaii. However, for us to travel to our neighboring Samoa, when we travel with our own child, we are not required to present a Power of Attorney document by the Samoan Government just so we can travel over with our child. Yet, to return from Samoa back home to American Samoa, we not only are directed to jump hoops and loops trying to get medical clearance, PCR tests, Talofa Pass registration, we are also required to contact our spouse so he/she can go print the Power of Attorney document, sign in-front of a Lawyer, just so we can return home to American Samoa. These processes are highly unnecessary and expensive.

We are subject to all these heavy restrictions, yet the rich and powerful have their shortcuts, charter their own flights on days that are not even on Talofa Pass, like yesterday (Tuesday 05/24/2022, a special flight was done for people with connections to return from Apia). How can we the taxpayers be subject to one set of rules, and those with money and powerful friends have their own set of rules?

We urge the Task Force to please advise Talofa Pass accordingly, when the Governor’s Office was responsible for the travelers list, at least we know ahead of time that we are ok to travel. They also answered when we called their telephones. They also called us when we were in Upolu and advised/updated us. For Talofa Pass now, we are at the mercy of those behind Talofa Pass.

Yet, American Samoa citizens should have the freedom to return without prejudice, foreign legal residents of American Samoa have also been heavily screened by the Immigration and AG prior to approving their legal permanent residence status. The purpose of Talofa Pass was to prevent COVID-19 from reaching our shores, we are now living with COVID-19; Talofa Pass has now become a tool for those behind it to play God, who they favor to travel from Apia with ease, and who would be jumping hoops and running around.

Make inter-Samoa travel a pleasant experience for our people and legal residents.

With great respect
Citizen of American Samoa