Utu says “education, training, pride and just cleaning up” must happen By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com “We are trying to stay ahead of this amoebic dysentery and we don’t want to repeat how we reacted towards the recent pink eye — where we were kind of taking a reactive position while the pinkeye was spreading,” said the Lt Governor’s Executive Assistant...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa will be sending two locals to Hawaii in July to become certified as instructors in Crossfit. The NMSAS will foot the entire bill for the trip. “This is to add a little flavor to fitness exercise,” Apulu Veronika Molio’o Mortenson, the Education, Outreach and Community Coordinator for NMSAS said during...
Economic, tourism dilemmas notwithstanding, there is a way forward By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com While the U.S. government has assisted in the territory’s economic development over the years, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga says some federal laws have hampered further economic growth for American Samoa, whose people will next year begin discussion on its future political status. Lolo’s...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com Manumalo Baptist School was fortunate to receive a grant from StarKist Samoa through the Charlie’s Kids Reading Program. The school held a reading competition and the 7th graders won. Recognizing their hard work, the 7th graders got a free field trip to the Feleti Barstow Public Library and Manumalo received $500 worth of books for their school library - all thanks...
By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) spring 2014 Graduate Banquet & Awards Ceremony, honoring the outstanding academic achievements of the spring 2014 graduates, took place several days prior to the College’s 60th Commencement last week. With Princess Auva’a of the Student Government Association acting as the evening’s MC, the...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga’s prepared message being delivered by House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale at this week’s United Nations Decolonization Committee Pacific Seminar is that American Samoa is not a “colony” of the U.S but a “member of the American family.” Also known as the Special Committee of 24, the regional seminar...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Chairman of the American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority Roy Hall Jr. and Bluesky Country Manager Lewis Wolman both confirm with Samoa News that last week they signed the long awaited interconnectivity Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Samoa News was unable to obtain a copy of the signed MOU, however a copy of the draft MOU between the...
Retail & beer vendor category of biz licenses in FY 2014 double for territory By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com There has been a big increase in the number of business licenses issued for business operations based in the Manu’a island group and this coincides with the Lolo Administration’s two-fold push to develop the island group and boost the territory’s economy. ...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com In keeping with the Port Administration’s hope that revenue generated from leases of its airport property — especially the industrial park lots — will be given to them for the development of the airport, Samoa News has obtained a copy of the Department of Commerce’s “Industrial Park Tenants Database” to find out...
In this photo dated May 1, 2014 Tonga Red Cross Society (TRCS) Chair Lady Hon. Alaileula Tuku'aho and Secretary General Mr. Sione Taumoefolau proudly pose together to show appreciation for the generous donation received from the American Samoa Government workforce that had raised funds specifically earmarked to assist in the relief efforts of the people of Ha'apai, Tonga in the aftermath of...
Save the dates: June 1 - June 7 By Jeff Hayner jeff@samoanews.com A first-ever Rip Current Awareness Week will be held here from June 1-7 this year and it will be put on locally by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), American Samoa Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS) and TEMCO along with its participating partners. The group had a get together yesterday morning with...
By Samoa News staff reporters@samoanews.com Congressman Faleomavaega Eni is seeking public input on setting up a U.S. National Guard unit in American Samoa and this will be accomplished through an online poll, which Faleomavaega says is designed to gauge the level of public interest and to raise awareness for American Samoa’s need for a National Guard presence on island. Faleomavaega,...
Workforce and services will be cut back By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com Not including the ASG semi autonomous agencies, American Samoa Government employees were paid an average straight-time wage of $9.32 per hour for 4,486 employees, or an average annual salary of $19,387.35 excluding fringe benefits, according to preliminary analysis data, which is included in the Commerce Department’s...
Federal grant assurances need land leases to be at ‘fair market value’ for funding By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com The Port Administration is hoping the Lolo and Lemanu Administration will honor the 1973 map which was recently uncovered, when the Federal Aviation Administration came to the territory last month to conduct an audit or inventory on all of the airport property and its...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com The new PBS documentary film “Swains Island: One of the Last Jewels of the Planet” was screened on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at the Inouye Regional Center on Ford Island, Hawaii. Superintendent of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS) Gene Brighouse said the film was shared with the many Swains community residents who reside in Hawaii...
By Joyetter Feagaimaalii-Luamanu joy@samoanews.com Two business men are appealing to the Lolo and Lemanu Administration on the status of their mandate to the American Samoa Power Authority to reduce the cost of electricity, water and other ASPA fees. The men told Samoa News their efforts to meet with ASPA CEO Utu Abe Malae have been unsuccessful over the last two months. One man stated the...
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com The perspectives and experiences of other U.S. territories whose residents are U.S. citizens is the subject of the joint ‘amicus curiae’ (friend of the court) brief filed with the citizenship appeal case now before the Appellate Court in Washington D.C. The brief was filed last week by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo of Guam and Congresswoman...
By B. Chen blue@samoanews.com The weather was perfect and the crowd was just right last Friday during the 60th Commencement Exercise for the American Samoa Community College. The event started with the usual procession, posting of colors, and an opening anthem performed by the ASCC concert choir. The invocation was delivered by Rev. Fa’atauva’a A. Talamoni who spoke about...
By Ken Shane, Jamestown Press Jamestown author John Enright recently published his latest novel, “The Dead Don’t Dance.” The novel is the third in Enright’s “Jungle Beat” series, which follows the exploits of Samoan Detective Sgt. Apelu Soifua. Enright lived and worked in American Samoa for 26 years before moving to Jamestown seven years ago. In the first two books of the series, “Pago Pago Tango”...
By David G. Sellars, Peninsula Daily News Armstrong Marine, the aluminum-boat manufacturer whose headquarters are just off U.S. Highway 101 midway between Port Angeles and Sequim, attached the wheelhouse and passenger compartment to a 39-foot catamaran hull Thursday morning at the Port Angeles Boat Yard. It was necessary to transport the aluminum boat in two pieces to the boatyard for assembly because...