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Letters and Editorial Policies
Letters and Editorial Policies
This is not justice, is a slapped on many innocent kids. Tupua should be punished for this crime, terminated from his job and not to teach kids in any school.
What makes this idiot think it is legal to fire a riffle out in the public, on a public road? Just because a dog was walking in front of the jail doesn't make it a stray dog, maybe it belonged to someone and was just innocently walking by. Maybe that stray bullet that fired off in his office should have shot himself in the ass!
Warden Maifea I hope you stumble upon this. I guess
Block wherever the dogs are entering through. If there is a hole in the fence, fix it!Don't open fire on those poor dogs. In reality, I could care less of your problems. I hope those stray dogs get all the food they can get out of your facility.
The issue here is: no laws against animal cruelty. Animal fighting still permitted in American Samoa. Wow! That really does set us back. Doesn't anybody give a damn about these animals?
Why isnt there an animal shelter on island? If everyone made a community effort to have all their animals spayed and neutered, we would minimize the trouble and stray animals. It also happens to be trouble we started. Every time we pass up on the opportunity to help these animals, we have another stray walking the streets. Those poor animals are being abused and its ok.
How can the government just sit when animal cruelty is done so publicly. i dont get it. Please help these animals! As a community we can make a difference in these animals lives
Editor's note: Just so people know, there is no longer a vet on island, so there is no longer a way to spay or neuter. The gov't has closed the vet clinic because of no funds. As seldom as the vet clinic had the drugs necessary at least if you were persistent enough, eventually you could get your animals spayed or neutered. Now we have to wait for some charitable organization to send a team to help us out. Malo Humane Society and also Tanya — let us know what people can do to help.
Choosing who to vote for is completely up to you...and you are absolutely correct that Afoa had every right to vote for Togiola. You are also correct that the candidates were cleared to run, and I also applaud Afoa for saying that he will waive his wages for a year...but that doesn't sway my vote.
Again, you all are still making excuses for Afoa's past actions.
#1 As old as the argument may be...Afoa said that he would endorse Utu and turned around and gave into Togiola after campaigning so fiercely about how corrupt the government was under his leadership. So that tells me as a voter that he sold us out!
#2 No one, not even the candidates themselves are disputing the fact that the subsection (f) was violated. The only thing that was questioned was that the violation was grounds for disqualification. That is it! Lei himself said knows..just ask him.
So I would rather have a team like Save and Sandra, who are not afraid of standing up for what is right, in office. They have no integrity issues and their background in law and justice is the type of people we need in office. Someone made a comment about Sandra guiding Save through some of these decisions....well then you have obviously haven't done any research on him. Sandra complements Save well...and who better to advise you on issues then your running mate.
I am not trying to attack Afoa, I am giving you the reasons why I wouldn't vote for him. Good luck to all the candidates.
So I find it interesting that even with the announcement made by Afoa and Le'i to work For FREE for the next year if they are chosen... I see NO positive remark about it! I am dumbfounded that ALL I keep reading about from these OBVIOUSLY non-supporters is that Afoa endorsed Togiola at the last election!! REALLY?!?!?!?!? I guess if you say it, repeat it, and repeat it some more... It will be TRUE that Afoa is a bad bad man!! Boy, if you have made up your mind about your candidate... Then by all means, stick to it.... But it is so unnecessary to make mountains out of molehills... I would much rather enjoy reading of WHY your candidate is better?? Would THEY work for free too? Or are they in it simply for themselves?!
And as far as I'm concerned, Le'i along with the other candidates were cleared by the courts and all who have a say-so to run for office. Would that not squash that argument that he's a "law breaker"?! That is the beauty of why we live in a democracy, we believe in every person being able to defend themselves against the charges laid against him/her... And I believe that's called due process... Point is: the case was dismissed and that answers that question right? If you wanted to keep bringing up this "violator of section (f)" then it gives others the opportunity to present the fact that Jones was accused of raping a minor... Forget the fact that he was cleared by a jury of his peers...
We are now a bunch of "low information" people and we will continue to fixate on just one side of the argument and completely forget that he was pronounced innocent!!! ....you getting the drift???? ....
Make a valid argument for WHY your candidate is a better candidate... And please, get over the fact that Le'i is now "a criminal" because of section (f) And that Afoa supported Togiola at the last election (which is of ofcourse his right)... That argument is getting old!!! and as far as I'm concerned as a voter... That is not as bad as some of the baggage other candidates bring to the table...
Please bring up valid points and/or suggestions... it makes for a MUCH better use of your time, and most importantly: MY time as a curious voter!
Heres to hoping your day goes well!
Thank You Samoa News for bringing these issues up. These little issues go a far way and its always the little things that matter. And its always the little things that the everyone overlook.
Our 4 legged friends should be protected. The Government should have neutering programs and educate the public starting from schools. Dogs have been protecting mankind for thousands of years and we owe it to them by protecting them. Without Dogs we most definitely wont be able to sniff out bombs, illegal drugs and most definitely give us comfort in the most difficult times in our lives spiritually and physically.
May the Lord reach out to the Police Warden to give him some guidance. Dogs have hearts and yes they beat just like ours. Humans have hearts too. They rely on us for food and security.
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
― Will Rogers
dear .....
You obviously seem to have an issue regarding who Afoa supported last election. Correct me if Im wrong but is this not a democratic society? meaning we are free to choose and elect who we feel at the time is the most qualified candidate.
At the time, Afoa felt Togiola would better serve the people over Utu. We should not question why people choose the way they do because those are their constitutional rights.
On the same note, Utu & Togiola have a right to appear wherever they chose to or publically support whomever they chose even if they will vote for someone else in the end. You talk about how the people will be in the "know" about the candidates. The best way for them to know is to get out there, talk to the candidates and do their own research. Reading biased opinions from others will only cloud their judgement.
If we dig deep enough, we will find a slew of faults for EVERYONE that is running for office. Noone is perfect. The real question is, which candidate is best qualified for the position? I am amazed with all the investigations regarding Faoa and Lolo all you are harping about is who Afoa supported years ago. If that is the only fault you can bring to the table, then I will definitely chose him hands down!!
Bottomline, each voter will have to make an intelligent decision by being open-minded about the candidates.
AND I too pray to the Almighty to help those that are chronically judgemental on who we vote for to respect whom we chose to support.
Lastly, I pray for the Almighty to bless the brave and courageous leaders that are willing to walk through fire and take a stand for what they believe in and are able to withstand criticisms and attacks unnecessarily by people that do not contribute positively towards the betterment of the community.
This provision of the constitution does not mean the county councils act without guidance. There are no rules or guidelines to guide county councils on how to select delegates. That is most certainly a job of a committee preparing the Territory for a constitutional convention to prepare rules and guidelines for the county councils. As it was there were none. They selected themselves, their political allies and friends. This defeated what the concon process was about. Wasted money. Tragic lost opportunity for change for the better.
LOL You are funny trump80. I take it you are still bewildered by Utu's appearance to Afoa & Le'i's "Meet the Candidates" event. You seem to have a personal issue with Afoa. What, did he not represent you in a case? Did he win against a case you were involved with? Don't be astonished with the Governor and Utu's appearance at the event. Maybe you should setup a meeting and find out why they even appeared at the event and then exaggerate the hell out of their answers. lol. Maguia lou aso. Soia ia le fa'aleaga kagaka.
Thank You Afoa & Le'i. This is COMMITMENT that we need and shows genuine intentions to serve the our people. Fa'afetai.
Thank you for the advice. At least we've settled that you are neither a certified judge nor a lawyer. Hence, any argument you have regarding this issue is invalid and not good enough...sorry! Again, I am extremely proud of you and your successes...which is why I said for you to stick to your day job! It looks as if you've misunderstood me, but as I've stated before, stick to it, you're better at it than trying to be something you are not!
I am well aware of the judgement that it was not the election officers duty to enforce subsection (f), it remains in the control of human resources, and by violating this subsection is not grounds to be disqualifued. The FACT still remains, that they were in violation of it. There's no question about that.
Im not asking you to do my homework, I am merely questioning your logic to read all the other laws, when in fact wouldn't change a thing.
And I must say that I am pretty successful at my day job, successful enough to not sell out. You on the other hand might want to pursue a career in law being that you are already on the track of trying to defend a violator.
Afoa is NOT my father nor my Uncle. I am just an informed voter. And I will not do your homework for you, especially when you have already established your own paradigm about the elections...Again, do YOUR homework and read more than just the headlines...Read the different arguments that were presented in court, read the ruling by the judges and read the decision by Soliai. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can comprehend what was presented.
FINALLY, Good job on your decision! I am not going to sway or try and persuade you in who you should vote for, because it's obvious it's neither Faoa, Lolo, Salu or Afoa...I sure hope it's not Jones because Tuika was also just working until recently. But hey, that's completely okay, it is your RIGHT in this democratic government. Just get off trying to be a certified judge or a lawyer, because it's obvious that you are neither!...Stick to your day job, you're most likely successful in it, because there is no way you could win in court if you only stick with ONE section of the law against ANY other contender that has studied more than that!...Just a suggestion.
So are you saying that Le'i did not violate this subsection along with the other candidates? Then maybe you should tell him that because he himself knows...just ask him. What other laws are you referring to that will make this story any different? Afoa may not be the worst choice, but he definitely is not my choice. So lets just agree to disagree, because you can't convince me that your dad (or your uncle Afoa) has the backbone to do right beside the people. To me he is still a "sell-out"
Didn't know we have so many certified judges and lawyers on here! Pretty cool! One of you should have represented either Lolo or Salu since they both shared the same lawyer.
Otherwise, rather than sticking on the same section (f)...read the arguments that were made as well as the decision. There are several other sections of the law. And, think carefully about the intent of the election process, and why it was created. If you haven't learned anything about the judicial process, it boils down to interpretation. Otherwise, the courtrooms would be empty on a daily basis. Since you all obviously do not have any background in law, I suggest you get one, so you can fully understand the statements you make, focusing solely on one section and disregarding ALL other laws that exist.
Vote for Afoa ...He won't go back on his word and if you break certain laws, its ok, he will ignore it and still make you a Lt. Governor
AFOA & LE'I have just announced on V103 (103.1 FM) that if they are given your blessings and elected as Governor and Lt. Governor, they will work hard to improve the services for our people and to get all high-risk statuses removed. They will work FREE with NO SALARIES for up to ONE YEAR or earlier if they can get such a high-risk status removed sooner. This is their commitment to serving the people of American Samoa and working to provide a bright future for our children and future generations.
HAL management is shaking just about now. Guys, guys, relax---- its only competition. Step up to the plate or get off the field.
Now how do you LCC the south pacific. Draw 3 points on a white napkin and keep repeating. It's the SWA way. Now, if somebody from Pago was smart enough and get to Love Field, maybe, SWA might think about it.
Got LCC?
Paulo
Fa'afetai Lava Afoa ma Le'i! Ia fa'amanuia pea Le Atua ia te oulua! Alu alu lava i le ala maualalo.
O a'u ma lo'u aiga e matou te palota uma mo AFOA ma LE'I.
ASPA to be disbanded, to gain the services needed to the Public. ASPA has become the Medusa's Hydra that has suppressed the economy.
Disband the Albratross.
Paulo
You bring up an interesting point! However, it is unfortunate that you were not present at the forum we hosted at our school this past May. This question was asked and I was also surprised to know the truth, which Afoa quoted directly from the American Samoa Constitution (of course I went and looked it up afterwards just to verify his response). The following is a direct quote from our constitution:
“Article 5 Section 4. Revision of the constitution. In view of the changing conditions in American Samoa, the Governor shall appoint a new Constitutional Committee five years after the effective date of this Constitution to prepare amendments or a revised draft constitution to be submitted to the Governor who shall call a constitutional convention to consider the same. The delegates to the convention shall be selected by their respective county councils. The number of delegates from each county shall be the number obtained by dividing the population of the county, as shown by the last preceding Federal census, by 400, any fraction in the quotient obtained to be disregarded if such fraction shall be less than one-half and if such fraction shall be one-half or more it shall be considered to be one unit, provided that each county shall have at least one delegate, and provided further that Swains Island shall have one delegate selected in open meeting by the adult permanent residents of the island who are United States nationals. If the convention approves such amendments or draft constitution either with changes made therein by the convention or without changes, the same as approved shall be submitted by the Governor to the voters eligible to vote for members of the House of Representatives at the next general election; and if a majority of the voters voting approve the amendments or proposed revised constitution, the Governor shall submit the same to the Secretary of the Interior for his approval, and if he approves the same, then the amendments shall become part of the Constitution or the proposed revised constitution shall replace this constitution, as the case may be. Salaries of employees of the Convention and per them for delegates shall be provided by law. The Government shall furnish the Convention with necessary supplies and other necessary services.”
As you can see, and as Afoa stated in the forum, he does not have the power to select the delegates, those are selected by “their respective county councils.” Furthermore, it states that whatever amendments the council makes, it is then given to the “Governor” to be submitted to “the voters eligible to vote…”
I hope you find this useful!
Junior, we ALREADY know who you are supporting. This is no surprise that you would be one of THE first ones to write a "F" rating BOOK regarding this article.
Kalofa e ia oe! Try getting rid of the negative energy and the bitterness flowing in your veins...It is likely the main reason why your leg will continue to be the way it is.
Do hope and pray that your goal of defaming Afoa and Le'i every single chance you get on a public forum gives you peace rather than continued sleepless nights and a build up of more self destructive thoughts and feelings.
Let's vote for Lolo! Because his values regarding infidelity completely rocks!
OR
Let's vote for Jones! Because we ONLY value the Palagi man...since Samoans are not good enough to lead Samoans!
OR
Let's vote for Save! Why not? Sandra will save and guide him through every decision he makes!
Your completely right, everyone has flaws...I for one could have longer hair or smaller eyes. However, when the government is in dire need of someone who is honest and has values, someone with integrity and transperency, then we can not afford another 4 years of someone who says one thing and turns around and does another! You are thinking very little of the role he played the last election by endorsing Togiola, it was a huge turn in events and he helped Togiola win and look at what happened to our government.
And now, again, he is standing by Le'i who is one of the candidates that are in violation of the law. So why should I chose Afoa as my next governor. He clearly says one thing and does another...so no he is not the best choice! You might think that his "flaw" is not as bad as what Faoa did in the past or the "flaw(s)" that Lolo is going through now pubically...and your probably right. But what about the other contenders. Don't see any integrity issues there, do you?
So what do you suggest for those who have not yet endorsed a candidate? and what about those who have endorsed a candidate but still curious about the other candidates? I would think it would behoove you as a voter to read about ALL the candidates and participate in as many forums as possible so you can make an even MORE informed decision come voting day!!
For example, if I was an Obama supporter, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to MEET Romney during a Town Hall meeting just because I'm a democrat. In actuality, there are plenty of voters who actually change their minds about who they vote for during any campaign season!! I encourage ANY and ALL voters to participate in these forums!! It is actually your responsibility as a voter and as a citizen to get as much information as you possibly can before making your final decision in that voting booth!!
If your only problem with Afoa is that he supported Togiola at the last election.... Then I would say he is your BEST candidate if that is his ONLY flaw... Don't you think?!?! By the way, you are sounding very bitter about the fact that your last candidate didn't win... and even worse, he participated in the forum of his last rival...
I suggest you take your emotions out of this... Spend some time reading up on ALL the candidates (minus the anger and bitterness).... Maybe participate in these "meet the candidate forums".... And THEN make your INFORMED decision!!
Give me any of the candidates and I'm sure I can show you each and every one of their flaws... The question is: who has the least skeletons in their closet and who has the best interest of AS at heart!!!