Inspectors of the Environmental Services Division of the Department of Health have been threatened that if they don’t reopen stores which have been closed because of health violations, they will face consequences. They have also been offered bribes to look the other way which they have rejected. This information comes Aileen Solaita, Head of the Environmental Services Division.

She said that last week immigration sponsors of food vendors and stores which they closed for repeated violations made threatening remarks to inspectors. They were unhappy because DOH has imposed fines on the businesses.

Unfazed by the threats, Solaita posted a notice on the division’s Face Book page, addressed to businesses and corporations run by non-Samoans. It said, “Running to your sponsors or House Representatives/senators to threaten us and our work will not change our call. Comply or pay the fine. Standing up for the safety of our people.”

Solaita said her team will not back down and went as far as saying that she may have to give out the names of the individuals making the threats if the practice continues. She told KHJ News that it’s only after they imposed the fines on repeat offenders that the local sponsors are now appearing and trying to get them to reopen the businesses or remove the fines. She said if the businesses do not pay the fines, their health permits will not be renewed for the new year.

Solaita suspects that the reason why many of these businesses continue to violate regulations is because they think they can get their influential sponsors to intervene for them. She said it’s sad that some of the leaders involved are not thinking of the health and safety of the public but are standing up for the businesses that are engaging in harmful practices. “Things will never change if we don’t speak up,” she said. “We will continue to expose stores that are not in compliance.”