7th ANNUAL PACIFIC WATER CONFERENCE & EXPO SET TO BEGIN

American Samoa is set to host the 7th Annual Pacific Water Conference and Expo, which will begin this week Tuesday, running September 9-11 at the Lee Auditorium. The event is made possible by the co-hosting efforts of the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) and the regional non-profit organization Pacific Water and Wastes Association (PWWA).

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the PWWA, and 150 participants from 21 countries from the Pacific Region will be in attendance for the three-day conference. 

This year’s theme “Water and Energy in the Pacific” is the focus of eight paper and workshop sessions including five presentations from local entities ASPA and AS-EPA in addition to speakers from around the region. Session topics include:

•            Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Pacific Water Developments

•            Appropriate Water and Energy Tariff in the Pacific and Challenges

•            Water and Energy Efficiency

•            Pacific Water Appropriate Solutions

•            Available Water and Wastewater Treatments

•            The Need for Proper Water Assessment Management Systems

Fifteen vendors will be displaying their water-related technological wares and services at the Expo. Lee Auditorium will house displays from Asian Development Bank, CLA-VAL, FILTEC Water and Wastewater Specialists, Halgan Party Ltd, Humes, Kew Consult Engineering and Water, ORICA, Pure Tech, Superior Filtration, TCEC, and Xylem.

This conference and expo are supported through assistance both locally and abroad. The major Conference sponsor Is the Asian Development Bank. ASG partners include: AS-EPA; ASTCA; American Samoa Visitors Bureau; Department of Parks and Recreation and Territorial Energy Office.

Private sector conference sponsors include: Bluesky Communications, FILTEC Water and Wastewater Specialists, Humes, KEW Consult, Engineering and Water, ORICA and UNELCO.

For more information regarding this event and on the Pacific Water and Wastes Association (PWWA), please see the website pwwa.ws

USDA TO HOST RECORD-KEEPING WORKSHOP FOR FARMERS

This Wednesday, Sept. 10 inside the NOAA conference room on the second floor of the Pago Plaza, the American Samoa Farm Service Agency will be hosting a record keeping workshop for local farmers —something that will aid them when seeking financial assistance from the federal government.

Not too many farmers are aware of the many programs available to them from the US Dept. of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. Some of these programs include micro loans, and the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occurs due to natural disasters.

Today (Sept. 8) is the deadline to apply for the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment (RTCP) Program, which assists farmers with the cost of transporting goods for their operations.

Local farmers interested in applying for the RTCP need to provide receipts of their purchases for fiscal year 2014 (the receipts should be dated October 1, 2013 to the present date).

Qualifying purchases may include farm tools, chemicals, machinery and fertilizers.

Commercial farmers earning at least $1,000 in annual sales who operate farms that are in compliance with USDA standards are eligible to apply.

MISS AMERICAN SAMOA PAGEANT SLATED FOR SEPT. 26

A new Miss American Samoa will be crowned on Friday, Sept. 26 at the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium in Utulei.

Applications are available for interested contestants and the deadline is Friday, Sept. 12

This year, Pacific Independent Distributors (PID), under the umbrella of the Tautua Mo Oe (TMO) family of businesses is the major sponsor for the beauty pageant. Pre-pageant activities are being planned and will be finalized by next week.

Meanwhile, PID owners Frank and Helen Gaisoa are offering the public a chance to win one of five makeovers and a seat at the corporate table for the upcoming pageant.

Purchase any two U by Kotex and Kotex Natural Balance pads, and attach the receipt to an entry form at any one of the participating stores to win.

A free seat at the pageant is also up for grabs and can be won by spending $5 on any NIVEA product, sold in most retail stores on island.

Reigning Miss American Samoa, Eleitino Tuiasosopo, is currently in Samoa attending the Ms. Samoa pageant, which was held last night, culminating the annual Teuila Festival.

(The McDonald’s Miss Samoa was to be held Saturday night Samoa time, but was rained out and rescheduled to be held last night — Monday Samoa time.)

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

The National Weather Service in Tafuna is joining forces with the local Dept. of Homeland Security in providing outreach for the community this month, which has been proclaimed by US President Barack Obama, with strong support from Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga, as National Preparedness Month.

National Preparedness Month stresses the importance of ‘recognizing’ and ‘preparing’ for natural disasters, especially during these winter months in the territory and with hurricane season looming (from November - April).

The theme for this month’s program is: “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare”.

A DHS official explained that outreach efforts are dependent on the strong support and participation of the local villages, churches, different organizations, government departments and agencies, and the private sector.

He added, “We’ve seen it all. Heavy rains, strong winds, high waves, landslides, mudslides, and even the deadly 2009 tsunami that still haunts us. We need to remember that anything can happen at anytime and we need to be prepared.”

The activities for this month center on the focus that locals need to ‘know what disasters are, prepare for them, and know what to do when they happen.’

TRAINING HELD FOR TERRITORY’S DAYCARE PROVIDERS

The Dept. of Homeland Security and the Territorial Emergency Management Coordinating Office (TEMCO) held a special training session last Friday for local daycare providers and staff members of the Child Care Services of the Dept. of Human and Social Services (DHSS).

The training was conducted by Brian Yamagi of the US National Weather Service and was focused on discussing tsunami awareness and what daycare providers need to do when disaster strikes.

Yamagi stressed the importance of self evacuation and how providers shouldn’t wait to be told to move to higher ground.

He referred to the Sept. 29, 2009 earthquake on the Tongan trench that resulted in a tsunami arriving in American Samoa a quick 15 minutes later.

Those in attendance were told to listen for the ‘roar’ of the ocean and watch for the water to recede. “These are signs of an oncoming tsunami,” he said.

According to the USNWS official, the progress American Samoa has made since the deadly 2009 earthquake/tsunami is ‘very impressive’ as far as improvements and outreach, which includes numerous signs indicting danger zones and areas where people can go to in case a tsunami arrives.

He also referred to the different advertisements as well as the siren system that has been installed all over the island and said ‘there definitely has been much progress since 2009”.

Friday’s training is in line with National Preparedness Month (September), during which DHS will be working closely with other government departments and agencies, the private sector and the community at large to disseminate all the necessary information needed in order to “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare.”

FIRE DAMAGES ANTENNA FOR LOCAL RADIO STATION

104FM or the Showers of Blessing radio station located in Nu’uuli is still on the air although the frequency is very low, with some areas not being able to tune in at all.

The problems are a result of a fire that damaged the radio station’s antenna located in Aoloau. Samoa News understands that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire and company officials are trying their best to rectify the situation.

VETO OVERRIDE TO BE DISCUSSED TODAY IN WESTERN DISTRICT

Residents of Pava’ia’i, Faleniu, Vaitogi, Mesepa, and Mapusaga have the opportunity tonight to hear more about, and ask questions about the veto override referendum that will be on the ballot later this year during the November elections.

The referendum amends the American Samoa Constitution and if passed, will give the Fono the authority to override the governor’s veto, instead of the U.S. Secretary of Interior.

Tonight’s discussion session will take place at the Methodist Church in Pava’ia’i from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Tomorrow, an informative session for the residents of Tafuna and Ili’ili, on the same subject, will be held from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Fagaima Methodist Church.