Archive - Feb 17, 2012

The American Samoa High School Athletic Association (ASHSAA) wrestling season is just warming up, and it’s third regular season tournament is scheduled for tomorrow Feb.18 at Leone High School, starting time 9:00 a.m.

At last week’s tournament held at Faga’itua High School, the Tafuna Warriors were able to pull victory for the second straight time in as many tournaments, with the Faga’iuta Vikings taking second once again.

With an ocean breeze behind their backs and a view to die for, Afonotele elementary kicked off its Just Play program on its grounds in Afono.

Afonotele becomes the first of six elementary schools to kick off its Just Play program following the successful completion of a two-day workshop conducted by OFC Just Play Coordinator Emmie Sope a month ago.

The other five are Tafuna, Lupelele (Ili’ili), Mt. Alava (Vatia), Alofau and Pita Tali Coleman (Pago Pago) elementary schools.

The American Samoa High School Athletic Association (ASHSAA) basketball season is coming to head in the regular season, with final make up games slated for today and tomorrow.     

Today, the Nu’uuli Voc-Tech Wildcats will be traveling to Samoana High School to take on the Sharks, while the Tafuna Warriors will be at the Lions Den, to take on Leone on their home turf. Tomorrow, the Warriors will be traveling once again, but this time it will be to Fa’asao Marist High School to face with the Crusaders.

There’s a great 19th century fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson titled “The Emperor’s New Clothes” that I first read at the Feleti Barstow Library when I attended elementary school in Utulei. It’s one of those great cautionary tales that remain in your mind, because it highlights what happens when you don’t speak up — about things or issues that you consider wrong.

The tale is essentially the story of a Ruler in a distant land who loved his appearance so much he had a different suit for every hour of the day.

Dear Editor,

Re:  Kiniseli Lafaele on Health Care for Samoans (Samoa News: 2/6/2012).

After laboring through two issues of Samoa News, I was somewhat disappointed that when it came to the key question of where one stands with LBJ’s new 400% fee increases — literally rendering the hospital “off limits” for many of our people who no longer can afford the cost — Mr. Kiniseli Lafaele took a bailout and sided with the increases via a gymnastic semantics exercise.

Samoa News has learned that Fa’amomoi Masaniai — while still the territory’s Independent Prosecutor — has taken up temporary duties in Washington State following a request by the U.S. Justice Department.

Masaniai is fulfilling a special request from the federal agency to assist them in understanding the human trafficking problem in American Samoa, according to information received by Samoa News.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono has vetoed the $253,000 supplemental appropriation for LBJ Medical Center but at the same time, asked Fono approval of a $100,000 appropriation to help send a local football team off-island as well as help the Department of Local Government complete the traditional Samoan fale at Utulei Beach Park.

The furlough of nurses, doctors and other staff at the LBJ Medical Center has been canceled and the new fees have been reversed. This was the announcement by Gov. Togiola Tulafono in a meeting with LBJ hospital senior officials and staff yesterday afternoon at the hospital chapel.

Our All Star Football Team will begin departing today at 12:00 p.m., via Inter Island Airways to Apia, to catch a connecting flight to Australia. The American Samoa team will face the Land Down Under team on Feb. 25th in the IFAF Under 19 Championship Game.

Winner of this game will determine who will represent the World Team against USA’s All Star Team, in the IFAF World Cup of Football in Austin, Texas in June.

“To coincide with Vatau’s Hope Drive this week, I felt now to be a good time to report to the wonderful people of American Samoa, an update of my daughter’s battle with Leukemia,” articulated the greying, goateed father, Banner Fanene.  His daughter is blood cancer stricken Sharring Fa’amalo Fanene Aoelua Niusulu.