21 Oct 2006

Samoa PM blames University rugby team in preparation over entry permits

12:42 pm on 21 October 2006

Samoa's Prime Minister and chairman of the country's rugby union Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, has blamed the management of the National University's rugby team for being stopped from entering American Samoa when they arrived yesterday.

The 27 member team including officials were not allowed to leave the inter-island ferry they were traveling on because they did not have entry permits.

The NUS rugby team was then sent back to Apia on the same ferry.

Tuila'epa says the management should be blamed for carelessness in making sure all travel documents were on hand before they went.

The Samoa shipping corporation has also been blamed for having the players and officials board the ship without entry permits, and as a result a penalty fine of 20 thousand US Dollars was paid before the American Samoa officials had released the ship.

The team who is the defending champion of the American Samoa mosooi week rugby tournament, finally left last night after they received their entry permits.