04-21-2025, 07:03 PM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2025, 07:09 PM by HereOnThePrimalEdge.)
Punatang,
I found this on Google about cannery wages:
“in American Samoa, the minimum wage for the Fishing Canning/Processing industry was $5.56 per hour in 2022. This means that a full-time worker at the cannery earning minimum wage in 2020 would make over USD 44.00 per day”
Now I’m fairly certain you will accuse me of all manner of disrespect, but hear me out. I lived in American Samoa for a winter albeit a long time ago, but this is still a personal experiential observation. Most residents of American Samoa will not work at the cannery. Many residents do not graduate high school, and they are the most likely residents to work there. Does the quote you posted above sound like it was written by someone who speaks English as a second language, and didn’t finish high school?
It is painfully clear that the "knee-jerk" actions of The Biden Administration to supposedly protect The Kings Fish, were undertaken unilaterally without developing consensus with the very real people in the cross hairs.
As a former employee of StarKist Samoa of 17 years, it has sentimental value like many other people of my Island Territory. StrKist Samoa provided a job and put food on the table and paid the bills. The income from we made took care of the obligations and responsibilities of families, villages, and church obligations as well. StarKist helped put the children through school. So Yes! You should understand why we feel threatened by this expansion, and vote against it. We respectfully request that all stakeholders consider alternative approaches to address environmental concerns. The current plan lacks adequate resources for effective law enforcement to protect U.S. waters, which is a significant concern. We firmly believe that decisions regarding the future of our home should be made collectively, with the active participation of our local community. It is crucial to consider the unique challenges and perspectives of our community rather than allowing individuals from outside our island to unilaterally determine our path forward.
04-21-2025, 07:21 PM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2025, 07:32 PM by HereOnThePrimalEdge.)
Punatang,
Pulling management level writing skills from the jaws of severely underpaid workers on the line, some of whose parents I may have met, and as a general observation American Samoan people are wonderfully kind, friendly, happy, sweet…
back closer to home - -
Do you believe the opening of protected fishing grounds will lower the cost of $20 roadside ahi on Big Island? Do you think the average price of tuna, canned by South Korean corporations and other companies will be lower when you make a purchase at KTA, Safeway, Walmart?
04-21-2025, 07:40 PM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2025, 07:40 PM by MyManao.)
(04-21-2025, 07:16 PM)Punatang Wrote: It is painfully clear that..
Lots of folks are addicted to barking at trees. But man, which kine tree?
Btw.. that's one cannery.. one factory.. and the sanctuaries are far and away on an entirely different scale. Though I'll note.. when the Leilani eruption wiped out those papaya fields in '18 I imagine a lot of folks in the papaya packing house lost some work..
Shit happens.. things change.. but giving up on trying to preserve the ocean's ecosystem because someone at a canary might lose a job?
As to those trees.. with the warming of the planet do you think the far north.. the arctic tundra.. will support their growth? And, if so, what kind?
04-21-2025, 07:44 PM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2025, 08:20 PM by Punatang.)
MyMan - Shit happens.. things change.. but giving up on trying to preserve the ocean's ecosystem because someone at a canary might lose a job?
Or giving up on trying to preserve an entire, deeply indebted nation, and it's future generations because someone might lose a job or some organization a temporary source of funding?
Brilliant segue back to the thread MyMan. I like the way you think. Mahalos
04-21-2025, 08:09 PM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2025, 08:22 PM by HereOnThePrimalEdge.)
an entire nation and it's future generations
It’s not a nation, it’s a territory.
When I lived there I went to the grocery store a few days before the ship arrived with supplies. The shelves were empty. I don’t mean bottled water-rice-tp empty - - I mean 90% empty. I asked someone what they do in the meantime and was told there were plenty of bananas, coconuts, papayas, fish, lobster, and no one would go hungry. It was true.
Pago Pago Harbor is the deepest port in the entire South Pacific. Any US Navy vessel can dock there. Near the golf course are six giant communication dishes used to contact Navy ships in that part of the world. Even submarines UNDERWATER. Do you think every Chinese ship beyond the 200 mile exclusive economic zone is looking for fish? Maybe someone well known for a short attention span should focus on that?
The real largest, best paying employer is government. Almost anyone who wants a government job can get a decently paid position. Many high school graduates attend UHH here on Big Island because their English as a second language program is a good transition for post high school studies by Samoan students. Some then return to Tutuila.
However, there are more American Samoan people living in Hawaii and California than in American Samoa.
The future of the territory is not the cannery, it is not really the largest employer. The average resident is far more dependent on US federal funding than fish. Even if the Musk-saw grabs a machete and looks in their direction, the Navy will not have budget cuts.
Punatang - Or giving up on trying to preserve an entire, deeply indebted nation, and it's [sic] future generations because someone might lose a job or some organization a temporary source of funding?
Or you could, you know, actually raise taxes on the uber-rich, instead of giving them tax cuts, and not have to balance the budget by cutting services for those least able to pay, like most of the people in Puna. There are ways of going about "preserving the nation" without decreasing the health and well-being of most of its citizens.
Punaperson - you seem to have some direct knowledge of the cuts affecting Hawaii libraries - any updates or extra details to add? https://friendsofthelibraryofhawaii.org/...y-funding/
"The Hawaiʻi State Legislature is in conference session to finalize the Biennium State Budget – the budget through 2027. The current Senate draft HB300_SD1 includes eliminating 24.5 staff positions from the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System as well as cuts to funding for facilities projects.
...
The libraries are already set to lose $1.5Million in Federal funds (see the Federal funding section). " (much more at link)
04-22-2025, 06:55 PM (This post was last modified: 04-22-2025, 06:57 PM by ironyak.)
Punatang - the idea is actually on the table
Concepts of a plan that are unlikely to pass, as the article says. Guess I'll keep an eye out for it happening during infrastructure week - the Puna roads are still waiting...
Meanwhile, after $6 million more in Federal funding cuts ("bringing the total of terminated or paused research programs to 48 from Thursday’s 36. There are now 82 employees affected by the federal cuts")
UH president joins over 170 academic leaders opposing Trump’s education policies https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/04/2...-policies/
Over 170 university, college and scholarly society presidents published a joint statement today opposing the Trump administration’s treatment of higher education institutions, coming together to speak out after Harvard University said the administration was threatening its independence.
The statement, signed by presidents from such institutions as Princeton, Brown, Harvard, the University of Hawaii and Connecticut State Community College, criticized what it described as “the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”
“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,” the statement said. “However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the statement.
Today’s joint statement is the latest show of resistance from U.S. higher education leaders as the Trump administration seeks to leverage its financial heft to overhaul academia. On April 14 Harvard rejected numerous demands from the administration, which is seeking oversight of Harvard’s student body, faculty and curriculum in an apparent effort to curb what it perceives as the university’s liberal bias." (more at link)
