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Flags lowered to honor late senator Galea'i Tu'ufuli

Flags in front of the EOB at half staff
Funeral services start today at the Fale Laumei
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has ordered that all flags in American Samoa be flown at half staff for two-days — starting at sunrise today — in remembrance of late Senator, Le Afioga Galea’i Moaali’itele Tu’ufuli, who passed away Oct. 24th at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, California.

He was 81.

An official family funeral announcement — aired since late last week on radio — states that the body of the late Paramount Chief was scheduled to arrive last night on the Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu.

A state service is scheduled to begin at 8a.m today at the Gov. H. Rex Lee Auditorium followed by the family service thereafter. Burial service is scheduled for tomorrow, following a church funeral service at the Fagatogo CCJS church.

In a Nov. 15th general memorandum released yesterday morning by the Governor’s Office, Lolo ordered the use of the Territorial Flag during the funeral services for the late senator.

Additionally, the governor ordered that all flags in American Samoa be lowered to half-staff beginning at sunrise today, Nov 20th, and continuing until sunset tomorrow, Nov. 21st in remembrance of the late Sen. Galea’i’s “years of public service and dedication to our territory”.

“I ask the people of American samoa to join me in honoring the passing of Afioga Galea’i Moaali’itele Tu’ufuli,” said the governor, who noted that Galea’i’s service to his family and his church, to both the Executive and Legislative branches of government and to the people of American Samoa, “will long be remembered”.

“His good will and generosity of spirit, his commitment and leadership, shall stand as shinning examples for us all to follow,” the governor emphasized.

At the time of his death, Galea’i was serving his second consecutive four-year term in the senate, which officially ends before 12noon on Jan. 3, 2021. He is one of the two senators representing Manu’a #1, the senatorial district that he had previously represented in prior legislative sessions.

Galea’i also served as Manu’a District Governor and sat on various ASG boards and commissions over the years. His government service began in 1960 when he was sworn in as a police officer. He served in various government posts, and was an instructor at the American Samoa Community College between 1976 and 1982. He also served as special assistant to the late Gov. A.P. Lutali in 1985, and was police commissioner in the later part of 1985 to 1992.