APIA, SAMOA \u2013 04 MAY 2023:<\/strong> Any boat that enters Samoan waters illegally should be seized and investigated before it is released.<\/p>\nHowever, the boat that entered Samoa last week illegally was released a few days after without an investigation.<\/p>\n
At a press conference today, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa said the ministries involved in the case lapsed in carrying out their duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are at fault here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Fiame said because there are many Government Ministries involved in the case, Cabinet is waiting for a full police report on how the boat entered Samoa, and how it was released without a thorough investigation.<\/p>\n
She said any boat that enters Samoa illegally is to be detained and investigated and even fined.<\/p>\n
However, the boat travelled from American Samoa to Mulifanua wharf where it picked up supplies then headed to the Salelologa wharf where it offloaded its cargo.<\/p>\n“When the shipping officials at the Mulifanua wharf realized there were no legal documents for the boat to enter Samoa, rather than reporting and seizing the boat, they went about preparing papers to have the boat legally be in Samoa.”<\/em><\/strong>