14 Aug 2008

American Samoa suggestion to use its land in Tonga

2:49 pm on 14 August 2008

The American Samoan Senate President Lolo Letalu Moliga is recommending that the territorial government make use of the property in Tonga which was exchanged with land in American Samoa more than 20 years ago.

While attending the coronation of King George Tupou V in Tonga, Lolo visited the property which is on the waterfront in the capital of Nukualofa.

Lolo says the property is sitting idle when it should be earning some money for the government.

He says there's great economic potential for the property because the Tongan government intends to build a large hotel on the adjoining parcel of land, which is now a landfill.

It was during the administration of the late Governor AP Lutali that land was exchanged between the governments of Tonga and American Samoa.

The Tongan government has a produce market on its local property near the Tafuna Family Health Center.