WHAT”S GOING ON WITH US IN THE SAMOA’S?

I have been off the radar screen for a week or so and for good reason. As I have stated over the past year and a half we have built up a great little traffic lane for us into the two Samoas. Both countries were ravaged at the end of last month by a monstrous Tsunami. Our Los Angeles office was thrown into emergency mode and in many ways it still is. My last blog has actually become a word picture of what has been going on over the last fourteen days. Led by Tony Feist, who has been putting seven days a week, the CII team has been devoted to putting words into action. I am very happy to report our first forty foot container of relief goods made it to the terminal in time for the first vessel out.

As I stated before, sometimes you are presented with a “raison d’être” and an opportunity to do some good long after it has become unfashionable and the world has forgotten. We have enjoyed commercial success shipping freight into Apia and Pago Pago. The growth has been exponential. Because the populations are small, word of mouth is the only way a business has the opportunity of blooming. Over the last ten years Tony Feist has steadily built up relationships with key importers. A passionate man, he wears his heart on his sleeves and for the first time for them so many decision makers in those South Pacific isles know they are dealing with a man whose catch phrase is, “Your wish is my command”. This disaster has affected many close friends of CII and Tony. Yes, the world may quickly forget, but for CII, just thirty people strong, our job is just beginning. Because of this recession we may start off small, really small, but as times improve for us, our work will continue and become bigger. We will not leave our friends in the Samoa’s behind.

When things are more settled at work what plans we have on the drawing board will go into action. One great thing about the help we are giving our Samoan friends, very little can actually go a long way. A little outfit like us can achieve so much by taking a step back and trying to walk a mile in their moccasins. We call it an investment, not charity. Our company can but only continue to succeed by giving back a little in return for so much we have received spiritually from 300,000 of the finest people on earth.

Tags: American Samoa, Apia, Pago Pago, Samoa, Tony Feist