Archive - Jun 2012 - Article (News Story)

The latest U.N. “Sustainable Development, Summit Meeting” ends today in Rio de Janeiro, This marks the 20th year since that first U.N. meeting in Rio.

The Rio meeting and the 2005 Kyoto Agreement (as important as they were) by all accounts proved a failure. And every meeting since then has shown little progress.

Defense attorney for the former executive director of the American Samoa Special Services Commission (ASSSC) has asked the federal court in Washington D.C. to revoke the defendant’s bail and to allow her to start serving the jail term as soon as possible at the federal jail in Honolulu.

An increase in international departure tax out of Samoa’s international airports goes into effect July 1st (Samoa time), while the country's government is consulting with airlines for the fee to be included in the airline ticket price, says an official with the Samoa Airport Authority.

Currently the international departure tax for passengers 12 years and older is WST$40 (Samoan tala) while children are exempt. The departure tax is usually paid at the airport before departure. 

A woman is behind bars on allegations that she stole a wallet, used the cash in it and then attempted to use the credit card belonging to the victim. Naomi Mavaega was arrested on Tuesday by the Criminal Investigation Division detectives and made her initial appearance in the District Court on Wednesday.

The American Samoa National Olympic (ASNOC) in partnership with Department of Parks & Recreation and McDonald’s American Samoa, will be hosting the 2012 Olympic Day this Saturday, June 23rd at the Su’igaula Utulei Beach Park.

“Olympic Day” is a worldwide annual event of the Olympic Movement, and ASNOC joins the International Olympic Committees (IOCs) in the world to promote this movement and take advantage of this occasion to share the Olympic spirit with everyone in our Territory,” said Ken Tupua, President of the ASNOC.

Leone High School has received an official letter of notice for their accreditation status, from the (WASC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Accrediting Commission for Schools, announcing it has been granted a three-year term of accreditation, expiring on June 30, 2015.

The letter is from WASC-ACS Commission Chairperson, Mr. Harlan Lyso.

The global roadmap for sustainable development to be endorsed by world leaders here in Rio should be matched with actions, says United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“While time is not on our side, world leaders must rise above narrow national interests. Global interests must be their own national interests. “We must be united for our common good and united for unity,” pleaded Ban Ki Moon in his statement to 130 world leaders gathered at the Rio+20 conference in the Brazilian city.

World ‘expects more’

A substantial amount of marijuana, suspected stolen property and firearms were discovered by Police during a raid, yesterday morning.

Two villages were raided and all of the items were found in a family home at the village of Tuvao, an inland village between Faleatiu and Fasito’o-uta.

The raid was confirmed by Assistant Police Commissioner, Le’aupepe Fatu Pula, yesterday.

The Samoan Studies Institute (SSI) at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) invites the public to a special preview of the performances that members of the Students Association for Faasamoa (SAF) will give at this year’s Festival of the Pacific Arts next month in the Solomon Islands.

The performance will take place this Saturday, June 23, at 2 p.m. at the ASCC Gymnasium, and is free and open to the public.

As most of Auburn’s students are enjoying their summer break away from school, Megan Fonteno is spending her first summer at Auburn training for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Fonteno, freshman in pre-pharmacy, will be racing the 100-meter freestyle as the only women’s swimmer representing American Samoa.

“I’m trying not to worry about the competition I’ll face,” Fonteno said. “I’m just going to focus and swim my own race.”