Archive - May 16, 2012 - Article (News Story)

Sisters and staff of Hope House are pictured here with I’a Lapo’a—a donation from the 13th Steinlager I'a lapo'a International Gamefishing Tournament to Hope House, delivered yesterday afternoon.

The 3-day international tourney took place last week, ending on Saturday with an Awards dinner. Participants were from New Zealand, Samoa and American Samoa.

FFAS has successfully kicked off its first 5-a-side league since 2009 on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Pago Park Soccer Stadium.

Utulei Youth took the title back in 2009 in what was the last time FFAS organized this 5- a-side, outdoors competition. In 2010 FFAS held a futsal competition while no such competitions were held in 2011.

“Because of the unavailability of high school gymnasiums for us to hold a futsal league this year, we’ve decided instead to have an outdoor competition based on the futsal set up,” said FFAS CEO Tavita Taumua.

New changes are in effect for the soccer association’s statutes after all amendments proposed in the 5th FFAS Ordinary Congress were approved unanimously during its annual meeting on Friday, May 11, 2012 at the headquarters inside Pago Park Soccer Stadium.

The congress is usually scheduled for March of every year but was postponed to May due to many activities and off island meetings by some members of the executive committee.

ASG Employees Retirement Fund (ASGERF) net assets in trust for pension benefits decreased by $19 million due to domestic and international equity market conditions, according to an independent audit report of the ASGERF Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the last fiscal year.

The audit report, by the accounting firm of Moss Adams LLP, states that it has issued “an unqualified opinion”, or clean opinion, of the Retirement Fund’s statements of plan net assets for Sept. 30, 2011 and 2010.

A former Polynesian Airlines employee in Pago Pago has been charged in District Court in the alleged theft of more than $10,000 in money belonging to the carrier, which is owned by the government of Samoa government.

According to court documents, defendant Judy Mata’utia was acting area manager for Polynesian Airlines’ office in Pago Pago between March and October of 2010, when the crime allegedly occurred before she was terminated.

GRANDFATHER CHARGED IN CASE INVOLVING GRAND-DAUGHTER

A grandfather accused of touching his 13-year old grand daughter in a sexual manner over a period of time, appeared yesterday in District Court, where he is charged with three felony charges and one misdemeanor.

To protect the minor victim, Samoa News is not identifying the defendant or the village where the alleged crime occurred.

While walking or driving along the main highway in Malaeimi watch out for falling coconuts. There have been calls this week to the American Samoa Power Authority to assist in trimming coconut trees along the main road in Malaeimi.

Samoa News was told that one of the calls for help to ASPA came from the Governor’s Office following a recent report, and if it were not for the quick reaction of a driver, an accident would have occurred due to falling coconuts right onto the road.

YORKTOWN, Va.— As part of the Joining Forces initiative to support our nation’s service members and their families, several U.S. government agencies will announce an annual pass to active duty service members and their dependents, granting free access to more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, and other public lands around the nation in the coming years.

In Samoa, a post portem has been completed on the man shot dead during a police operation at Faleatiu village a week ago.

Assistant Police Commissioner, Leaupepe Fatu Pula, says police are now waiting on report from the pathologist from New Zealand who carried out the procedure.

The post mortem will help determine if Togia Rapi was killed by a bullet fired by police or a family member.

Leaupepe says they are also conducting an internal investigation on a possible leak from someone in the police force who had tipped off the family at Faleatiu of the raid.

Seven Samoan artists are to visit New Zealand for a week next month as part of a cultural exchange celebrating Samoa’s 50th anniversary of independence and the close links between both countries.

Creative New Zealand, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland Museum and Mangere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku, will mark Samoa’s Golden Jubilee with a programme of public demonstrations and workshops.

The visiting Samoan artists specialise in heritage arts and will participate in a week of activities in Auckland and Wellington.