Archive - Mar 30, 2012

If there’s a valuable lesson to learn from the ASG $20 million loan fiasco, it is the need for the administration and Fono to appreciate and respect what little financial resources we have, or have access to.  Simply put, leaders lack respect for limited resources, and people pay the price.

Clearly, proper planning would have had avoided unnecessary purchases (Fo’isia, Manu’a fautasi, barges, etc.) and costly litigation (Marisco, etc.).  And clearly, the LBJ off-island care program could have used some of that money back then.

U.S.-based StarKist Co., and its South Korean based owner Dongwon Industries have dismissed claims the companies violated international law dealing with shark fins, and called the allegations “erroneous and unmerited”.

Dongwon along with StarKist responded yesterday to a Samoa News request for comments regarding an online story by IFS.com, distributed on Wednesday, which states in part that ‘Friend of the Sea’ sent a public letter to Dongwon’s CEO In-Soo Cho this week regarding the company’s shark fishing practices.

Gov. Togiola Tulafono’s $10 million appropriation bill for the LBJ Medical Center remains with the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee awaiting financial reports from the government before making a final decision on the measure that would provide funding for the off-island medical referral program.

O ausiva e to’a 25 ia ua lautogia mo faafiafiaga o le fu’a i lenei tausaga, o le a faaoagaina lea e le Ofisa o le Arts Council e saili mai ai nisi e fai mai sui o Amerika Samoa, i le faamanatuina o Faaaliga lona 11 o Tu ma Aganuu a le Pasefika, lea e faataunuuina i le atu Solomona, e pei ona fa’amaonia mai e le Fa’atonusili o le Ofisa o le Arts Council, ia Leala Pili Elisara.

The American Samoa Government is moving toward ‘Going Google’ as a way to save ASG money with an array of free Google Applications, says Director of the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) and Chief Information Officer Easter Asi Bruce.

In conversation with Samoa News, the enthusiastic CIO said, “ Google Apps will actually allow us to transform how the government does business. Increased collaboration and enhanced communication will be the result of this move, which will, most importantly, allow us to do so in a much more secure manner.”

American Samoa National Olympic Committee (ASNOC) Secretary General, Ed Imo (L) and ASNOC Fundraiser Assistant Noah Sua, displaying ‘Scratch Bingo’ tickets that are in stores around the island.

Proceeds will g to ASNOC to fund expenses for our athletes to travel to various sporting events.  Next up is the Olympics in London, England in July.  Read story in Saturday’s To'asavili.

Two men will make their initial appearance in the District Court today in connection with a drug raid where the Vice and Narcotics Division with the Department of Public Safety allegedly confiscated more than $10,000 street value of methamphetamine, marijuana and a rifle belonging to Punefu Tuaolo while Ronald Wells was allegedly found with a small baggie which contained methamphetamine.

Police said the pair, who were arrested on Tuesday, will be facing drug charges.

FILIOALI’I ALI’IOAIGA

District Court Judge John Ward found that there was probable cause to bind over the government’s case against the CCCAS Faleniu Reverend Ali’ioaiga Filioali’i in connection with a car accident, which led to the death of a 12-year old girl on September 19, 2010. The church leader is facing vehicular homicide, a felony that is punishable with up to five years in jail and or a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

WASHINGTON D.C. - The World Bank announced yesterday the launching of two initiatives targeting Samoa.

The first is the Country Partnership Strategy, which focuses on encouraging broad based growth; reducing vulnerability to economic shocks, natural disasters and climate change; and supporting greater global integration to provide opportunities for Samoans.

Federal prosecutors have recommended that the former acting boss of U’una’i Legal Service Corporation be sentenced to less than one year in prison and pay restitution for his role in the stealing of about $160,000 in federal funds awarded to the non-profit group, that was closed a couple of years ago.

David Wagner, who served at U’una’i’s acting executive director between May 2005 and September 2007, pled guilty Mar. 11, 2010 at the federal court in St. Louis Missouri to one count of theft of federal funds totaling $31,292.