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GONG SHOW — “OF CABBAGES AND KINGS”

We’ve voted, and we now live with our choices for the next two years.

 

We have a new Congressperson, a known Republican and a woman. A first for us, on all counts — a Congresswoman, who has said that being a Republican in a Republican Congress cannot but help us in the territory. The next two years will tell — and I’m hoping for the best.

 

The main objective: Let’s make sure all who were elected know that they will be held accountable to us the People, the Voters. Let’s keep our voices out there, LOUD and CLEAR! No more “muimui” at the back of the bus… GONG!

 

I will say though, I did miss our unique Samoan style Election Day — the tents, the BBQ, the shout outs and the sheer frivolity of the voting event! This year, it was dull and quiet, with few people around — but on the bright side: I thought perhaps with no money out of their pockets, the faipule will not vote for a raise in their office allowances because they don’t need it for re-election any more… GONG!

 

In our day-after election issue, Samoa News ran a story about the LBJ hospital board getting ready to select a new CEO — two of the candidates were members of the board, which meant that only three people were going to make the decision. Guess what their decision was? YEP…“No surprise Taufete’e”… If I get what the board members were saying, they said they returned to the ‘old’ because he has learned from the past … GONG!

 

Here’s my 2¢ — LBJ didn’t break overnight, it didn’t become the mess it is today after Taufete’e left as CEO of the hospital the first time. It was broken before his time, during his first time, and it continues to be broken to a point it is in danger of losing its cash cow: Medicare and Medicaid… GONG!

 

The latest fiasco with ASDOE has to do with cabbage and worms — and the Department of Agriculture has decided to be pro-active and told everyone to quit selling it and quit eating it while they “investigate”. Problem is— I’m not sure if the director is talking about investigating the worms, the Asians… or the cabbage… GONG!

 

Reminds me of that verse found in “The Walrus and The Carpenter”, by Lewis Carroll [from “Through the Looking Glass and What Alice found There”, 1872]:

 

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,

“To talk of many things:

Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —

Of cabbages — and kings —

And why the sea is boiling hot —

And whether pigs have wings.”

 

GONG! Uh that’s from me, not the ‘pig with wings’...