The Unit Trust of Samoa has made changes to its unit selling price effective Tuesday this week.

A statement from the Trust said the Unit selling price has increased to $1.65 per unit from $1.63. 

“This is the direct impact of the $1.10 million tala dividends received from BlueSky Samoa on Monday 29th July 2019 for their 2018 Financial Year,” said the statement. 

“The dividend injection from BlueSky caused a rippling effect on the Unit Price, which increased the unit value growth for existing unitholders.

“The privatisation of Samoa Tel to BlueSky Samoa was the initial investment which led to the establishment of U.T.O.S. and to date a total of close to $7 million has been received in dividends.”

According to the statement, a unitholder who purchased 50 units during the same period last year at $1.57 per unit paid $78.50. 

“That same unitholder’s investment at today’s price of $1.65 is $82.50, therefore making a gain of $4.00 tala which is a 5.10 percent return. 

“The growth in unit price continues to provide unitholders with more confidence, trust, and satisfaction with the service that the Unit Trust of Samoa is offering to all Samoans. 

“U.T.O.S. shareholding in BlueSky Samoa is representative of 25 percent of the total company with the majority being recently acquired by Amalgamated Telecommunication Holdings (A.T.H.) of Fiji.”

The statement said U.T.O.S. and A.T.H. continue to work together and are committed to ensure better communication service delivery to the people of Samoa. 

“The working relationship is not only limited within Samoa but both parties continue to work together across the region with the likes of BlueSky Cook Islands and other opportunities that are present, which will allow U.T.O.S. to have shareholding interests in other telecommunication operators across the region.”