Before he departed for Apia on Tuesday (local time) on board a chartered vessel, Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga — who is also the acting governor — appointed Department of Administrative Services director Malemo Tausaga as acting governor.

Lemanu is leading the American Samoa delegation to the inter Samoa talks hosted in Apia and he returns tomorrow. Lemanu asked all ASG departments and offices to give Malemo their full cooperation.

Lemanu and others were originally scheduled to depart Tuesday afternoon on Polynesian Airlines to attend meetings in Apia prior to the official start of the inter Samoa talks, which began yesterday, but the Samoa government-owned plane encountered an issue at the Fagali’i Airport in Samoa.

A Samoa News staff member on board the flight from Apia said the plane was due to depart Samoa around 12:30p.m. but it didn’t leave until 4:35pm. Passengers were told in Samoan by the Polynesian pilot that the light on the tail of the plane was not on and needed to be fixed.

For the two English speaking passengers, the pilot said the beacon light needed to be fixed, according to the Samoa News staff.

Polynesian local station manager, Toe Loia declined to comment on the specific issue dealing with the aircraft, but he did confirm that flights were delayed.

Although Polynesian Airlines has two Twin Otter planes, the other one is down for maintenance until July 18.

Meanwhile, senior Treasury Department official Levi Reese is now the acting Treasurer, because Deputy Treasurer, Ueligitone Tonumaipea, who was appointed by Lemanu as Acting Treasurer since June 20, departed last night to attend funeral services for the late ASG Treasurer Dr. Falema’o ‘Phil’ M. Pili, who passed away in Utah on June 19.

According to a family notice, funeral services for the late ASG Treasurer are set for later this week in Orem, Utah. They will be held at the LDS Chapel there, at 1075 South Geneva Road on Friday, June 27 from 6-8pm (visitation), with the funeral on Saturday, June 28 at 10a.m.

Samoa News wasn’t able to confirm at press time if any other government officials will be attending Pili’s funeral services in Utah, where he will also be laid to rest.