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On the Campaign Trail 2012

SALU-SAVUSA CAMPAIGN RALLY FOCUSES ON EDUCATION

by Fili Sagapolutele

Educators and supports turned out for Saturday’s “Rally for Education” held at the Pizza Hut/KCF malae and sponsored by the committee to elect “Salu and Savusa” for governor and lieutenant governor.

Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau said in her speech that the local education system has failed to meet its mission, which is to “to help each student meet his or her fullest potential” and urged educators to come together to resolve one of the “grave concerns” that has plagued the local education system for decades. She pointed to the most recent placement test of about 400 high school graduates, in which  “93% of those high school graduates were placed in remedial English and remedial Math” at ASCC.

“We cannot continue to graduate students who will struggle in meeting the demands  of the global world — a world that demands knowledge and skills in Reading, Math, Science and especially technology,” she said.

Read more on the Salu-Savusa education policy in Wednesday’s edition.

PART 2: AFOA & LE’I — ALL EFFORTS MUST BE POINTED IN THE SAME DIRECTION

by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu

Appearing before the Chamber of Commerce members Thursday afternoon at the Naumati Conference room, gubernatorial governor candidate Afoa L Su’esu’e Lutu and Lt. governor candidate Le’i Sonny Thompson, addressed the business community to present the team’s overview of their “Master Plan” for economic development.

Samoa News first reported on the Afoa & Le’i Master Plan in Saturday’s To’asivili — highlighting three of their priorities; fisheries, duty free harbor, and tourism.

The Master Plan, according to the team, would allow their efforts to all point in the same direction.

Other priorities of the Master Plan highlighted by the team were agriculture, privatization, business license application etc.

AGRICULTURE   

Afoa said Agriculture’s first objective must be to meet the local needs for self-reliance, with less dependence on imported goods.

He acknowledged the achievements of a few local farms like the Gurr Farms, Taputimu Farm, Avegalio Farm, and the Haleck’s farm.

However, he said the growth of this industry has been slow and almost nonexistence  even though numerous federal grants have been received over the past decades; and said they will work with all the stakeholders in this industry to promote agricultural efforts in an efficient and mutually beneficial manner.

For example, Afoa said available lands may be unused due to the high cost of preparing them for farming, such as growing vegetables. To assist with this monumental task, he explained, the government can purchase required equipment and allow the designated government department to use the equipment to assist farmers with preparing their land.

The government’s goal is to convince villagers or landowners to lease out lands to interested farmers, or farm the land themselves.

For Manu’a, Afoa said they will support the establishment of an assistance program to develop plantations, given that Manu’a has very fertile lands and has great potential as has been proven in the past.

Manu’a’s remoteness also emphasizes the need for a substantial food source to counteract the high prices from Tutuila and to improve variety of fresh foods locally available, Afoa noted.

He said they will also incorporate basic vegetable and animal farming techniques into the education curriculum, to teach students that farming and agriculture is also a career option.  

OTHER PRIORITIES

There are many government policies and procedures that hinder economic development, and Afoa noted the importance that all efforts are pointed in the same direction.

He explained the team is adamant the first process that must be completed is to put into place the Chamber of Commerce proposal on improving the process of obtaining business licenses.

Other issues noted in need of review to ensure that actions are in line with the overall Master Plan for economic development:

Tax code review to identify areas that may provide incentives for local business growth and provide more jobs, including the removal of dividend withholding taxes, removal of the interest withholding tax, review of excise taxes versus sales taxes;

Immigration reform measures, which would include terms offered to investors and contracted-skilled workers and visitors.

Corporate regulation review that includes adoption of legislation for the creation and regulation of limited liability companies, partnerships and trusts — Limited liability companies are the business entity of choice by most US investors and entrepreneurs.

Privatization of certain divisions of ASG, and noted ASPA’s fuel and trash collection divisions;

The Cabotage law and its effect on our road to self-sufficiency;

Manu’a transportation with an eye on once and for all answering the island group’s needs and not just what the government says it wants;

Communications that “we will ensure that the businesses receive quality connections and the service promised comparable to what you pay”;

Possible participation of local businesses and non-profits to participate in the government’s retirement program;

Infrastructure funding through the Economic Development Authority, which issued ASG’s first bond by the government, as an option as they build their Master Plan; and

Support for small businesses that identify obstacles that are preventing them and entrepreneurs in utilizing programs that are available for use such as the commercial fund administered by the DBAS and the small business center.

EDUCATION

Afoa said they are in a agreement with the Department’s of Education’s changes regarding the common core objectives to make sure the standards are comparable to the rest of the nation. They are also in agreement with the decision to finally decentralize some budgetary decisions, which empower school administrators to make them more accountable for their own budget and schools.

However, Afoa said, the current government continues to fail in is connecting the preparation of our children to all avenues, which includes the needs of the local workforce.

He said they must provide educational opportunities in all areas — academics, commercial training and in trades. Pursuing apprenticeship partnerships for students in areas of need locally and identifying local labor needs and prioritizing these fields for scholarship awards is a must. 

RELATIONSHIP WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

“We will make a much more determined effort to engage the Federal government on the effects of the federal policies, laws and regulations on American Samoa’s economy by working more effectively with, congressional representative, US Department of Interior (USDOI), Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), the federal integrated group on insular areas and other US insular Areas and the region,” Afoa noted.

He said the American Samoa’s Economic Advisory Commission has recommended that OIA be more of an advocate for American Samoa and “the US government accountability office has been advocating more definitive US economic policies for its territories for 30 years.”

Afoa said in moving forward it is crucial to work together to realize success of the comprehensive plan for American Samoa’s economy — a plan that will allow all of us to move in the same direction.  

The third part of the story will be in Tuesday’s edition.