The president of Samoa's Nurses Association, Taulapapa Faamanatu Nielsen, has called for closer ties with its American Samoa counterpart after they were severed over 20 years ago.
Taulapapa's comment follows the Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's call for American Samoa to reconsider its status as a territory of the United States.
Taulapapa says her support of the prime minister was the result of previous international meetings for nurses, where nursing representatives from the territory did not have a direct voice in discussions but sat behind as observers.
She says there used to be a healthy environment between the nursing professions, but that no longer exists.
