The Board of Directors of the Development Bank of American Samoa has not made a decision on proposals to lease the old site of the Rainmaker Hotel in Utulei.
Chairman of the Board, Senator Malaepule Saite Moliga said in response to KHJ News questions that the proposals include one from StarKist Samoa to build housing for cannery workers at the site. Another is from a local company wanting to use the site to store containers.
KHJ News had sent questions to StarKist spokesperson Michelle Faist about the cannery’s plans to provide housing for cannery workers from Samoa, but there has not been any response.
In October of last year, we reported that StarKist Samoa management has agreed in principal to provide housing for guest workers from Samoa employed at the cannery.
The information came from StarKist official Tufuga Faafoi Palepua, who said that it has been discussed with the President and the CEO of StarKist—who are in support of the idea.
He said, at the time, the cannery will be looking to secure land to build the housing.
DBAS Board Chairman Senator Malaepule said the bank received a proposal from the StarKist cannery to lease the land for housing for its workers. He said that no decision has been made concerning the StarKist request.
He said they’ve also received a proposal from a local company wanting to store containers at the site.
It was during the first Atoa o Samoa talks in April 2022 that the idea of the cannery providing housing for guest workers from Samoa was raised by the Samoa delegation, which was interested in an arrangement similar to what is provided for seasonal workers to New Zealand and Australia. In that scheme the workers are provided housing as part of their employment benefits.
