American Samoa

has the jump on all other South Pacific territo ries in one important regard; its ac cess to the massive United States market.

Goods have duly- and quota-free entry into the mainland provided 30 per cent of their value has been added in American Samoa.

The territory’s Government also offers subsidised business land sites, subsidised worker training, access to US investment capital, as well as a weekly shipping serv ice to the US West Coast. Investors can qualify for 10-year tax holidays.

American Samoa has 36,000 people, most of whom live on the main island of Tutuila. The major industry in Pago Pago is its canneries, which process the catch from US tuna boats that spread out across the South Pacific. If the territory’s cam

paign to attract industry is successful, it could become a centre for processing products brought from other nations in or der to gain access to the American consumer.

With the return of regular air services to Pago Pago, tourism is on the climb again (in 1981, for example, only 8500 visitors went to American Samoa) and the main hotel, the Rainmaker, has had a much needed restoration. If visitor flow is to grow there will have to be investment both in more hotels and in tourist attractions: after one has admired the natural beauty of American Samoa, there is not a great deal left to do.

Until more is done to attract visitors Pago Pago seems certain to remain more a transit point than a destination in its own right. G

Cargo must be loaded and unloaded the old-fashioned way in many Pacific ports.