KIWI TOUTS FISHING SAMOA'S...
Over the years I have had the pleasure of fishing in Samoa many times,... |
Tantalizing what if's 40...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Watergate's "what ifs" are still... |
|
Boy Scouts honor Bishop Weitzel...
Last Friday night was a double celebration for Vaopunimatagi John Quinn... |
Partnership helps Evan victims...
A partnership between a number of organisations is helping to address... |
Copyright 2013 © Osini Faleatasi Inc. dba Samoa News |
All Rights Reserved
Letters and Editorial Policies
Letters and Editorial Policies
I heard about this in a very awkward way in 2009 and quite frankly it disgusted me! I was in Honolulu for a family reunion which happened to be on the weekend of the Heritage event at Keehi Lagoon in Hawaii. I and a few a few uncles and cousins were starting our umu for our family fiafia to start at sunset. There were 2 adult men who were there, Samoan friends of my uncle, who came to help but leaving early to attend the Heritage festivities. These two men were praising the changes with the summer events held in Hawaii every summer - ua masani ai le toatele na faaigoa o le Aso o le Fu'a a Samoa I Hawaii. One of them said "Makua'i seki a o le suiga kele ua iai le aso o Samoa. Kufa mikiafu maua fua; Ka'i afe kupe mo so'o se sosaieke lava e faafiafia." When those two men left I asked my uncles some questions about what the two men mentioned and they told me that the ASG representatives flew to Hawaii with funding for this event which has now changed to Heritage.
Now i have to admit that I am going by what I just heard and I don't know the details but I'm sure it must be a lot of money. I been to this Flag Day event a few times when I am in Hawaii. When I started living there I slowly stopped attending this event. Why? Because I simply do not believe it helps anybody but those who coordinate them. I leave the park with nothing useful to take with me so I can develop myself to be a better Samoan. Forgive me as I do not mean to disrespect the efforts and the sweats of those who put the event together. It's an okay event for the Samoan community in Hawaii if they find it as an activity to enjoy together and to gather as Samoans. That's perfectly fine. BUT IT DOES NOT NEED ASG $$$ to pay for that enjoyment. I've seen the formats of these events. It's nothing more than loosely arranged cricket games (it isn't the same as they were 10 years ago), rugby, grass volleyball with no structured tourney, some fale'aiga serving food like how we have it in the flag day events in Samoa, and just ridiculous faafiafiaga and siva that are very quite boring. You seen one group you seen them all. The highlight of every year is the Drag Queen Show. Honestly, it's an event that serves the social desires of the SamoanCommunity in Hawaii. I just do not see how ASG $$ could be justified to fund this type of event.
If its true what I heard over our umu preparation - somebody tell me how is giving out free t-shirts help Samoan families in Hawaii? If these monies were awarded to Tutila and Manu'a based on their local need then why isnt the money serving that need locally? the money can then be spent in Tutuila and Manua and it remains in the islands to help better their economy. why take that away from the local people with a struggling economy and inject it in the Hawaii economy that is doing 100 times better than Samoas economy?
It would be interesting to learn the basis why this money was originally awarded to ASG. Getting a money award or grant is based on data. What data was presented to attain this funding? Does ASG have statistical justification that the Samoans in Hawaii need their help with money? How is it justified that Hawaii Heritage should be funded by ASG? Does ASG care that the Hawaii-Samoa Flag Day or Heritage as it is now called is nothing but a BIG PARTY? Or could this be one of those tricks to create more travel opportunities for ASG officials?
After these passed few years of ASG reaching out to Hawaii and other similar locations heritage is held --- Should someone address the accountability of how this fund is being used? Should there be a question as to "how does ASG measure the success of this free heritage money for Heritage Week for Hawaii? As it should be and In these day and age especially, money is given when there is a justified cause and need? Where is the accountability? Who can answer those questions? -- not just get on the plane and and fly to Hawaii and get In front of the crowd and say "look at me, I'm the money man from the motherland". Really? How about the Samoan students in Hawaii who cannot afford to stay in their dorms? Why not help those students who really are trying to help themselves? I know the struggles Samoan students in Hawaii go through. Many ended up living with relatives with crowded household and many of those relatives are in the projects. Those living situations are not conducive to focused learning. Some students can make it okay while many I know of in Hawaii are struggling. Families in Samoa save every penny to help them from afar and here goes ASG funding this Heritage event that has very little importance. Ask any Samoan in Hawaii if they benefitted from it and I'm sure nobody is going to say anything more than things like "it was fun; oh the food was good; magaia pagikeke, etc.
Is that really what this fuzz is about? C'mon ASG! Show Us results, show us data, show us some measurement that this funding of the heritage event has positively impacted lives of Samoan youth. If you can do that then I might sway my mind. Otherwise --- it really is a Big Joke.
I hear you my brother, I feel such pain first hand. Jacinta Galeai's case broke my heart because not only she's qualified, but so passionate about education and children. Good thing she stayed on and serve as acting director.
Leilua Stevenson equally is qualified for the DBAS nomination as she is in her current occupation, and has the heart for the people like Jacinta. Both would add great value (as have already) to the American Samoa public.
However, may I quote one Samoan wise man from the past- "Seu le manu ae taga'i i le galu" (catch the bird but beware of the waves).
As qualified people add public value to society, so does the integrity and fairness of the hiring system. Once such system is compromised, the precedent is set and society is doomed. And that's where we're at as a territory.
But there's hope for the territory in people like you becoming once again as a member of the Fono.
I wish you well in your endeavor.
God speed.
Just a thought: I think Governor and ASG agencies are not paying their bills for a Reason, and that's because they need to be government owned, not under a private sector.
It's basic necessities, water, electricity, etc. For them to operate, they need to install,dig,upgrade,renovate,so on and so forth on government and private property. Same issue for telephone companies, Blue Sky and ASTCA with all their wiring.
They can always manage their own fundings, but all report and owned by ASG. Someone up there needs to start putting their foot down and re-write up a quick 'new law' to resolve this, since we ALL suffer from these rate hikes which I strongly oppose to. Or better yet, since everyone likes to mis-manage funds and budgets, why don't you use some of that now to pay up before I get my next $300 ASPA bill in the mail? Again, it's just a thought, so don't go all postal at once!
Look, just because your the so called warden it doesn't mean that you have every right to do whatever you want to do. These animals have feelings too, but they are not like us they can't speak up and tell us what's wrong we have to speak for them! Use your head!
ok so this thing going on with Tua & Aina, who's telling who ??? i mean , like, i think there is something fisshy goin on here ! so what's up with the investigating officer ??? is he gonna testify or say wha ?? i mean , seriously , i have a relation to one of the officers here , and i am not in the case of letting this pass , because my brother has not done anything stupid or wrong that'll affect his career big time ! who knows that the inmates are telling the truth or who knows that this investigator whatsoever is also investigating this right and trynah pull it off on someone else ? how stupid these officers are ! they all work under one Department , but what do you guys do ???? trynah get over one another ! how stupid it is to pull this !!!if one officer knows that another officer is doing something wrong or wha , than mind as well talk to them about it and not getting at them at this point ! well, may god be with you two thru this, but i hope that someone ain't framing you guys up or set this up ! whatever with the inmates that are testifying ! inmates can lie , because THEY ARE ALREADY PRISONERS !!!
--- 1025 ---
Subject: Budget cuts from the Fono. Every Department be alert and prepare. But wait, no action yet until October 12th. I will be leaving on another tour of the Pacific Ocean but I want all of you to hold your breath while I finagle this situation.
The guy is really funny. Did the IT office not receive any of the $10.5 billion that was allocated for Communication, Information & Security Technology under the ARRA?
Did the ASESRO office not receive administrative funds to operate? Supplemental appropriations.......maybe if the Governor's Office cuts back on travel and all the other nonsense there will be funds to sustain the IT and ASESRO offices.
Quote from a 12 year old boy: If there is not a solution, there isn't a problem! In ASG 99% of the time problems are created by those who are in positions with the power to solve the problems.
I, like most people I know that live in this territory, have a hard time believing that Governor Togiola has concern for the "health, safety, and welfare of the public". The record of evidence to support this claim is astounding. Words mean nothing if they are not supported by action. I will speak only of my sphere of influence: LBJ Medical Center.
Consider the $3 million shortfall ($6 million including lost matching funds from Medicaid) that the governor brought upon LBJ last year. This was money that was included in the ASG budget. It was a promise to the people of this territory to take care of health, safety and welfare at it's most fundamental level. That promise was not kept. Those funds (appropriated in the budget) were not delivered, and we were told that the government had "other priorities." What were the "other priorities" that had to be considered above the "health, safety and welfare" of the public? I can think of nothing more tantamount to a claim for this concern than the funding of the only hospital in the territory (which even if it's budget were met in full, still operates on 1/3 of any comparable hospital in the United States).
This territory has witnessed time and time again that appropriating funds in the ASG budget is no guarantee that those funds will be actually given to the entities that are entitled to them by the law to spend on measures to protect and support the health, safety and welfare of the public.
(By the way, we're being shorted our appropriation again at the hospital, unless this has been remedied in the very recent past. Furthermore, as soon as the fiscal year ends there is no recourse for the hospital nor accountability of the government to pay the hospital or anyone else what they are owed.)
So promise all you want, Governor. You won't be around to deliver it, but your successor will. Hopefully that person will DEMONSTRATE the concern for the "health, safety, and welfare of the public" that you talk about but have failed to act on.
Dear Congressman,
According to International law on Deportation, Expulsion and Removal of alien whose present is illegal the government has full rights to remove an alien to the country of his origin (meaning citizenship), or in case of stateless person to the country of his habitual residence. And that’s what I would like the Government of American Samoa to do is to issue special directive to remove me back to the country of my last habitual residence which is United States. Upon arrival to Honolulu I would hand myself to Immigration Authorities and let them deal with me there.
While International Law permits states to establish immigration policies and deportation procedures, it does not grant them discretion to violate human rights in the process in case of stateless person like myself who continuously lived in the United States for 16 years. The United States, especially Department of Homeland Security regularly fails to uphold international human rights law in its immigration laws and enforcement policies, particularly Universal Declaration of Human Rights the United States is party, by violating the human rights of stateless persons to fair treatment at the hands of immigration officials, to freedom from arbitrary confinement and exile, in my case forceable exile in US territory of American Samoa. Including the persecution based on political opinion. Such policies violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights the United States is party. Despite a commitment to equal justice for all, US officials from DHS and ICE have instituted policies discriminating unjustly stateless persons on the basis of statelessness and political opinion. Such discrimination violates internationally protected rights of all human beings. In the criminal justice arena, DHS and ICE officials abuse their discretion by overstepping their authority, or by instituting polices that undermine the rule of law.
The United States has an international legal obligation to protect stateless persons and their human rights as defined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international treaties we are party. Unfortunately, either because abuse happens at the hands of public officials (DHS and ICE), or because public officials turn a blind eye to victims of our broken immigration policy, stateless persons, the United States fail those who seek and deserve government protection because as stateless persons we do not have any country to ask for protection or seek legal council but the country of our long-term residency, the United States of America.
The only solution in my situation as I see is for the Government of American Samoa to deport me as soon as possible on the first Hawaiian Airlines flight out to Honolulu with special direction given to Immigration officials of American Samoa including Attorney General of American Samoa. The direction should clearly states that Hawaiian Airlines is responsible for taking me back the same way they brought me in with exact same documents I had when I checked myself in in Los Angeles and Honolulu. I was clearly advised by the agents of Hawaiian Airlines that I would not have any problems coming in and back. The departure clearance should not be issued to Hawaiian Airlines in case of their refusal. I do not see any other way out of here. When Mr. Elliot Williams in his letter stated that I was outside of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, basically saying I am in foreign country, I would like to remind them the Immigration law of the US. Sec. 215.1 definition in regards to controls of aliens departing from the United States says: “The term United States means the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Swains Island, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and all other territory and waters, continental and insular, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States”. Which means by all those factors taking into consideration, I am in the United States of America, not outside of the United States, not in Aruba, not in Cayman Island, but in the United States of America, on US soil. If DHS continues to believe that I am still in foreign land that controls its own immigration, than American Samoa Government should immediately issue deportation on me due to lack of cooperation from the US Government and their cat and mouse game and refusal to solve this issue peacefully through diplomacy, and force Hawaiian Airlines to take me on board back to the country of my last residency which is the US since I am stateless. I am tired, exhausted, frustrated and angry.
Mikhail Sebastian
We are not stupid Mr. Governor. ASG owes millions, ASPA has to survive, they don't "pull the plug on ASG" they raise the utility rates and continue to pull the plug on us the public. PAY THE DAMN ASPA BILL ! You Mr. Gov probably can't order that because their is no money now after all the waste in your administration under your watch. If you are not going to sell the Fo'isia and SUVs etc. even your personal homes and investments that you have accumulated from your tenure as Governor to help us out...then go away quietly.
I hope people will stop voting for a certain candidate because they are related in a way, or even because their elders want them to. Choose the candidate you want to vote for because your choice affects you. Do not choose to vote for someone your elders, or maybe even someone else wants you to vote for. Voting for a certain candidate someone else is voting for, or because your parents want you to is not the right thing for you to do. The right thing for you to do is to vote for who can give your island a better future.
I once heard a song that starts off "It is not what your country can do for you, it is what you can do for your country", but in our case we are an island. Voting for who you believe can give us a good future is the little favor you can do for your island. It is time you stand up and tell those people telling you to vote for a certain candidate that your voice matters too. Ask questions, and decide which candidate will have a better impact on your future. To whoever that said "By the way, have some flipping pride in being SAMOAN!!! Elect a Samoan to help lead SAMOA!!!!!!!!"
So what if people choose to vote for a white guy? Just because they do it does not mean they do not have pride in being Samoan. People, it matters not which color you choose, what matters is who you choose and how they will affect you.
It is true. It IS ASG's fault that ASPA rates are going up.
ASG owes $10,000,000.00 to ASPA and will not pay.
That is ridiculous.
Togiola traded the yacht club for a restaurant. Poor Decision.
He forced the DBAS board members to change their decision. Not smart.
Are there other people on the island with college degrees and experience in Banking? Damn Right.
Now DBAS staff settle down, breathe out and believe that 2013 will be a good year. All of you may get a chance to apply for the job.
Shame on the DBAS Board Members that lost their b _ _ _ _ no it's not what you think....call it bones....like in backbone. We know the one male DBAS Board Member that has a backbone!
The author is right about one thing. At the world cup in New Zealand, Samoa entered the tournament at 250 to 1 odds to win the tournament. Samoa was rated by the sports book, Paddy Power, to win their pool at 40 to 1 odds. If you bet on Samoa to win the tournament or their pool, you lost.
But in the pool games they beat the sports book point spread against Wales and South Africa. In other words, even in losing, they exceeded expectations. If you bet on Samoa in those games you won your bet.
Samoa's rugby fans are too tough on their teams. Even when the team exceeds expectations, they demand more. Putting that kind of pressure on the players and coaches results in the kind of comments in the above letter.
Credit the players and coaches for competing near the top of world competition.
Great job Senators who voted NO. These family affair thing has gone too far and she's not a perfect thingy for the position. PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Keneseli hit it on the nail, had the position been advertised it would have removed the stench of politics. Had the DBAS Board members stayed firm with their initial vote on Monday, September 17th which unanimously rejected the Governor's nominee and interference with the DBAS Bylaws this issue would have been laid to rest.
If the Senator that campaigned for the new Judge who happened to be a DBAS Board member had not insulted the Board Members to overturn their decision this would not be an issue.
The Senators that had a free lunch at DDW were reminded how the Yacht Club was dismantled by Togiola. This entire debacle was the mastermind of a dictator that is gasping for attention.
Lame Duck won't pack his bags, serve his time and get out.
Senator Mauga is right, "One Law for All" Fair treatment for all. Opportunities for all in an Open Government!
This nomination of all nominations was shameful, not b/c of Lei personally but b/c of this on-going "chronism" between Alo Stevenson and Governor Togiola. The child of this long time senator is and was NOT THE ONLY QUALIFIED PERSON for Human Resources and now DBAS. People were asking why Alo Stevenson's daughter and not other peoples' children?
This Governor secondly, has no regard for the people of American Samoa WHO WANT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TO NOMINATE WHO THEY WANT! The people of American Samoa want to see whoever gets elected as Governor and LT Governor select their own directors, DBAS presidents etc ...so they can show us what they can do.
Gov Togiola is SELFISHLY DENYING the next team and the people of AS this. Thank you Senators who voted this down. You Senators that voted "yes" you are what is making the people want more and more to vote in senators. You play along with corruption and you yourselves are corrupting AS.
Listen Godfathers, I mean, Senators. Get with the program--- review again the girls application. She has the language down pat.
WE now know that the correct RFP was opened and that competition has lowered the price to the Publics monies. Pro Publica I say, Pro Publica.
Congrats Cyrstal.
Paulo
Will weigh in on WHO I believe should be the next Leader should be.
Why I think they deserve your vote and how important it is in this time and year to elect the correct team.
Thank you to Banner for remembering. Some of us have very short memories. What did God say about the future. A 1000 years is like a day to the Almighty.
Leala was the correct choice-- but, then we vote by emotions and not out of neccessity. Remember, Politics is to important to be left to Politicians. God Bless Soldier Statesman that rise to the correct occasion.
Let us as a people judge and move to the next goal post.
Paulo
actually, former gubernatorial candidate Lealaifuaneva Peter Reid, was the first to make such an election pledge...Leala pledged if elected Governonor, to not collect an ASG paycheck for his entire term as Governor.
Governor: You control the KZVK ...the "one sided" media that reports all the good things you and your administration do. Now leave Samoa News alone to report "what is really happening" in our Territory.
This is an unusual incident to hear about and to know about what happened with the victim. I wonder people with such mentality still exist in the present world.
Faamaisega ma alofaaga mo aiga ma uo peleina, faapea le tama/auauna a le Atua ia Malaki Timu. Alofa le Atua ia faapaolo ona aao alofa i luga ia te outou uma ma faamafanafana i le Ekalesia, nuu ma aiga ona o le toesea o se tasi o tina, uo, uso mai i la tatou mafutaga i luga o le fogaeleele. Dear Kalameli - Thank you! You are a blessed woman! Will greatly miss your smile and your sense of humor. You were beautifully created and we Thank you for your loving, caring gestures to many in the Samoan community. E leai se mea e te le'i mafaia ona fai, for you were awesome on TV, over the radio airwaves, and within the divine works/tasks of the Lord in your aulotu/mafutaga. Viia lava le Atua! We love you Kalameli!
Well, as my aunty, once said. Don't make funny of me when I'm talking ok, sasa lou gutu. Lol. So here, for National Registry lies Togiola and Eni, the morons of the south pacific. Instead of Instituting sovereign rights, these two morons look for the chance to sell the land and ocean under your feet. I get it now. The bozos had no Identity to begin with and knew not the land. To these two knife back cutters our lands and ocean is a commodity. Let's trade right. Eni has a habit of talking over the village. Get it? The more knowledge, the less the morons understand. Paulo
A leader speaks with authority keeps his word. "Sacrifice" for our people to clean up "high risk bulls" that carried on should have been cleaned up ages ago. Afoa you said the magic word "sacrifice" it's been long overdue. God Bless American Samoa!