The Constitutional Convention Subcommittee on the Bill of Rights in American Samoa has adopted in principle a proposed amendment that that the legislature enact laws to stop the selling of communal lands.
The actual wording of the bill will be voted on today.
Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, says if communual lands are lost, so too will Samoan culture be.
The Chairman of the subcommittee, Senator Lualemaga Faoa said there was strong concern that communal lands are being lost because of matai selling off family owned property.
"There's a law already not to alienate communal lands of American Samoa. So the proposal now is to, confirm [that] and make it a little bit dtronger, not to sell any communal lands to any other people. We have to maintain the communal land of the family."
