29 Oct 2010

American Samoa Congressional candidate goes on the attack

7:13 am on 29 October 2010

The performance of American Samoa's Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin has been attacked by challenger Aumua Amata Radewagon.

Aumua who has been trying to unseat Faleomavaega for more than a decade says the congressman was absent at crucial times when Congress was voting on legislation with implications for American Samoa.

Among them the federal minimum wage law which now requires the territory to increase its minimum wage by 50 cents each year since 2007.

Aumua said in a speech on KVZK-TV that Faleomavaega has been absent so many times when he needed to speak up for American Samoa.

"When he put into congress his famous ASPIRE proposal to help our economy 14 months ago, he has since not been able to find one single member in the whole of congress to co-sponsor and support his bill."

American Samoa's election is to be held on November 2nd.