The American Samoa government's plan to built a "super alia" vessel is described by some lawmakers as "only a dream" with no funding to make it a reality.
Photo: 123rf
While the design for the "super alia" was completed about two years ago, the government's Commerce Department is still trying to secure funding to start building a prototype.
Each vessel is estimated to cost about $US350,000, which lawmakers argue is unaffordable.
Senator, Magalei Logovi'i, told department officials the government is dreaming about something that it doesn't have money to build.
The department's fishery development coordinator Tony Langkilde told a Senate committee the "super alia" is an attempt by the Lolo administration to have local fiishers move away from the small craft they have used for the past 40 years.