news_02-14-2012

C M

Y K

C M

Y K

by Fili SagapoluteleSamoa News Correspondent

The Togiola administration has resubmitted to the Fono, with appropriate amendments, the $10 million supplemental bill to fund the LBJ Medical Center off-island medical referral program, while the bill to return the hospital back to the govern-ment was introduced in the House yesterday.

In his Feb. 9 letter, Gov. Togiola Tulafono thanked Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie for the Feb. 7 letter that was in response to the governor’s letter of Jan.13 — which was when the the administration first submitted the $10 million bill.

Funding is to be gained with tax hikes on alcohol, beer, and cigarettes; the new $2,000 corporate tax; and a hike in business license fees — with 75% of the revenue from the business license fees going to the hospital referral pro-gram, and a portion of the revenue from alcohol, beer and cigarettes also going to the referral pro-gram — the rest being earmarked for other gov-ernment expenditures.

The $10 million appropriation is also to be funded with a new 4% wage tax — which is in addition to the current minimum income tax of 4%. None of the new wage tax is specified for the medical referral program.

The governor noted the delay in introducing his bill despite his expressed request for urgency.

“As with other proposals that are sent to the Fono for submission, these bills are not meant to be absolutely ready for introduction,” the gov-ernor wrote in his Feb. 9 letter.

“With the ongoing crisis and the need for a swift legislative fix, I expressly noted in my accompanying letter the urgency of the proposal and that I was making my staff available to dis-cuss any clarifications regarding the legislation, inclusive of developing funding sources.”

“Yet, this is the second letter from you pointing out with specificity now, the outdated code sections, which could have been pointed out in your first letter to speed introduction,” the governor said.

PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA $1.00TuESdAy, FEbRuARy 14, 2012

Daily CirCulation 7,000

Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian Air president and CEO, holds the plaque presented to the air-line yesterday for earning the aviation industry’s first-ever verified carbon credits. Participating in the ceremony was Hawai’i Governor Neil Abercrombie (right), and Hawaii State Senator J. Kalani English (left). (See story for details inside). [Photo Credit: Rae Huo]

tusia Ausage FausiaO le tele o fa’afitauli tau tupe ma le anoanoa’i o mataupu e le

o manino lelei i le silasila a le Fono, i le vae feagai ai ma le malo aemaise ai o nisi o ona lala tumaoti, na mafua ai ona lagolagoina e le maota maualuga i le vaiaso na tea nei se manatu na faatulai e le alii peresetene, ina ia tuuina mai loa i luma o le maota la latou iugafono lea sa faaulu i le tauaofiaga na te’a nei, e faatulai ai le Komiti Suesue a le Senate, le SSIC e pei ona iloa ai.

O lea manatu na faatulai e le afioga ia Gaoteote Palaie Tofau i le maea ai o le tauaofiaga a le maota i le aso Faraile na tea nei, ina ua maitauina le tele o mataupu o loo nenefu ai pea le maota e oo mai lava i le taimi nei.

O nisi o mataupu na taua e Gaoteote e manaomia le mala-malama i ai o le Senate, o le mataupu e uiga i le ASPA ma faaf-itauli e pei ona tulai mai ai, o faafitauli tau tupe o loo feagai ma le falemai o le LBJ, o tupe fesoasoani na maua mai mo le galu-lolo, o tupe totoe mai le nonogatupe e $20 miliona a le malo,

Mana’o Senate e fa’avae loa se Komiti Suesue

LaliLaliLaliLeLeLe10

online @ samoanews.Com

FLAG dAy VOLLEybALL LEAGuE Members of the AVA SAMOA team from Auto

resting under a tree after their match with Sons of Samoa last Saturday at the ASCC gymnasium. The Islandwide Volleyball Association has kicked off its Flag Day League for 2012, with games con-tinuing from Feb 4th to March 24th — “with eight (8) playing days including the holiday (Presidents Day),” according to Legae’e Mauga, president of the association.

He said they will also hold the Flag Day Open Tournament in the month of April, when teams from Samoa will also be invited to participate. (For details, story will be published in Wednes-day’s edition of Samoa News. [photo: JL]

Obama’s budget: Government still getting bigger

Eni submits to Gov draft to re-peal 1983 law

Marist offering $10,000 to Flag day winner

Myna birds are “falling” out of sky in Nu’uuli 9

B1

5

7

(Faaauau itulau 12)

Governor vetoes ASPA supplemental budget

HIGHLIGHTING THE CONFLICT IN ExISTING LAwS OVER GRANT OF AuTHORITy TO ASPA

by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News CorrespondentGov. Togiola Tulafono has vetoed the $60.37 million bill

to fund the American Samoa Power Authority operation from Feb.1 to July 31, 2012 citing among other things, his concern over the revenue source to fund the supplemental appropriation.

The governor also addressed in his letter the much debated issue between the Fono and ASPA over ASPA’s claim that its board of directors has the authority to approve the annual budget and not the Fono.

SuPPLEMENTAL bILLIn his Feb. 9 letter disapproving the measure, the governor

pointed to Section 3 of the supplemental bill, saying that revenue received by ASPA from “any source not included in the sources of projected revenue identified... or which exceeds projection of any revenue source” identified in this bill as “unbudgeted revenue” to be made available “for immediate appropriation by the Legislature...” contravenes an existing grant of authority to

(Continued on page 14)


Gov resubmits supplemental bill to fund LBJ off-island medical referral program

INTROduCES bILL TO dISSOLVE THE LbJ MEdICAL AuTHORITy

samoa news, Tuesday, February 14, 2012

by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-LuamanuSamoa News Correspondent

Chief Justice Michael Kruse warned government officials at a hearing on the status of the mental health facility last Friday that he’s going to hold someone in contempt if they don’t walk the walk. The High Court heard from government officials that a groundbreaking for the mental health facility, which would accommodate defendants who are civilly committed, is set for “sometime” in May.

Head of the Attorney General Office Civil Division, Assistant Attorney General Sarah Everett called to the stand three gov-ernment representatives to explain to the court the status of the mental health facility.

The facility is to be constructed between the Juvenile Deten-tion Center and the Tafuna Correctional Facility in Nu’uuli, said Sandy Tonumaipe’a a representative of Territorial Office of Fiscal Reform (TOFR) who was the first witness to testify. TOFR is the government agency that is responsible for handling capital improvement projects in the territory.

Tonumaipe’a said that $3.2 million had been approved by the Department of Interior in the FY 2011 budget for the construction of the mental facility. However, the DOI has yet to approve the Scope of Work for the mental facility, she said, adding that the Scope of Work was sent to DOI last week Thursday, and TOFR is currently waiting for the approval on this project.

Director of Department of Public Works, Taeaotui Punaofo Tilei, the second witness to testify, said Public Works is ready to proceed, they have all the necessary permits approved and they are looking at having the bid out sometime this week.

Taeaotui told the court he met with the governor, who was upset about the prolonged construction of the mental facility. The public works director said all the government agencies involved in this project should work together and it would help speed up the process.

The director presented the court with a new set of plans for the mental facility, and Kruse noted that the new sets of plans is in addition to the other “fancy sets of plans” that have already been submitted to the court previously.

Taeaotui said they are anticipating the construction of the facility should be completed in eight months.

The final witness to testify was Acting Director for Department of Health Elisapeta Ponousuia, who said a proposal was sent to the Governor’s Office last year regarding funding for staffing, equip-ment, nurses and a psychiatrist, but she has yet to receive a response.

Kruse told Ponausuia “I’ll reinforce that SHALL in the law and I’m looking for faces to hold in contempt if nothing pro-gresses… this is serious.”

The Chief Justice noted that this is the same song and dance which occurred while trying to establish a juvenile detention center. He told the Health Department’s acting director, “I’ve got the May groundbreaking date seared in my head, you should also have it seared in your head”.

The CJ then quoted the law in Title 13, which provides that the diagnosis, treatment and care of persons suffering from mental illness or deficiency shall be carried out in a manner and in places designated by the Director of Health or his designee.

Kruse said there will be consequences if nothing progresses in May.

STRANGE BUT TRUEBy Samantha Weaver

✖ It was noted American wit and columnist Franklin P. Adams who made the following sage observation: “Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody.” It’s certainly something to keep in mind during this strife-ridden election season.

✖ Americans make more collect phone calls on Father’s Day than on any other day of the year.

✖ It was a German company, Interstuhl Manufactur, that made the world’s most expen-sive office chair. With a price tag of $65,500, you shouldn’t be surprised that the chair is plated in gold and comes with a matching ottoman.

✖ Have you ever wondered where we got the phrase “the dog days of summer”? According to tradition, the dog days start in July -- and not just because it’s usually pretty hot then. At one time, that was when Sirius, also known as the dog star, rose at sunrise. The Romans associated Sirius (called the dog star because it is the brightest star in the constel-lation Canis Major, or “large dog”) with hot weather, and at the beginning of the dog days they would sacrifice a dog in the hope of ameliorating the sultry weather.

✖ If you were to take the entire world’s water supply and compress it into one single gallon, freshwater would make up just 4 ounces, and freshwater that is easily accessible would be just two drops.

✖ Considering the fact that it’s home to much of the American film industry, it’s prob-ably not surprising that the sprawling city of Los Angeles has the world’s third-largest GMP, or gross metropolitan product.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • ThoughT for The Day • • • • • • • • • • • • •“An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he

knows.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower

(ANSwER ON PAGE 14)

CJ issues warning to all agencies providing mental health facility

CJ: “I’M LOOkING FOR SOMEONE TO HOLd IN CONTEMPT” IF THERE IS NO PROGRESS


by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-LuamanuSamoa News Reporter

TALIGALu AH SIuThe High Court accepted

a plea agreement between the government and Taligalu Ah Siu, who is accused of breaking into a Vaitogi home and trying to stab the homeowner after assaulting him. The twenty year old defendant of Vaitogi was initially facing charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, underage consumption of alcohol and private peace dis-turbance, however he entered a guilty plea to second degree burglary, and the remaining charges were dismissed.

According to the govern-ment’s case, Ah Siu broke into the Vaitogi home and struck the homeowner on his face with a computer monitor. The com-plaining witness told police the defendant also came at him with scissors and tried to stab him but he missed. The family man-aged to restrain the defendant while they contacted police.

Ah Siu, who is in jail on $25,000 bail, has been in cus-tody since the incident in November last year.

Associate Justice Lyle Rich-mond accepted the plea deal and scheduled sentencing for the defendant on March 23, 2012. He also ordered a proba-tion report for the defendant.

Assistant AG Celia Reyna was prosecuting while Public Defender Ruth Risch Fuatagavi represented the defendant.

JuVENILES CHARGEd OVER PACIFIC SALES

buRGLARy Four juveniles who alleg-

edly broke into the Pacific Sales Warehouse earlier this month are now facing first degree bur-glary. The juveniles, who are all high school students, are from Nu’uuli not far from the ware-house that was burglarized.

Assistant Attorney General Terrie Bullinger said the gov-ernment is looking into this matter to determine whether the

students should be charged as adults. The 18-year old male, who allegedly masterminded the three burglaries, is yet to be charged by the Attorney Gen-eral’s office.

Of the items that were stolen, police were only able to recover some of the clothes, an iPod and speakers, while the cash was allegedly split among the culprits is gone.

The owner of Pacific Sales, Terri Steffany, said that once the “Reward Advertisement” was out in the newspaper, she received a lot of calls from people giving her leads. The business woman said she con-tacted police and relayed all the information she received, addng that the phone calls gave the police a lead into their investigation.

According to the business owner, the thieves removed beer, cigarettes, phone cards, clothes and other items, in addition to the $4,000 in cash. Aside from their warehouse being broken into, their main office was also ransacked. She told Samoa News the cul-prits entered the building by breaking down the main door.

Samoa News understands that more arrests will be made later this week.

TwO FAMILIES IN COuRT FOR

dISPuTE OVER dOGA dispute over a dog landed

two families from Futiga in the District Court yesterday morning. Six defendants were from the Toilolo family, while the other four defendants were from the Aniseto family. According to the police affi-davit, police were called to a brawl between the two families on Sunday afternoon.

Matagisila Toilolo, Allen Toilolo, Taoipu Toilolo, Linda Toilolo, Dolly Tapuala-Toilolo, and Theresa Toilolo were in court, along with Luluga Aniseto, Iuliana Aniseto and two juveniles (also from the Aniseto family) — all are

facing charges of public peace disturbance.

The police report says that the brawl began when Luatogi Aniseto was leaving home and his vehicle ran over the Toilo-lo’s dog.

It’s alleged when Luatogi returned home, the Toilolo family was waiting for him on the road and the fight started. Police officers, who responded to the scene, said the two families were fist-fighting and rocks were also being used in the brawl.

Matagisila Toilolo and Ioane Aniseto were both injured, and they were treated and released from the hospital. Linda Toilolo and Iuliana Aniseko were booked and released on Sunday, because they had minor children at home.

The juveniles involved are a male and a female, and when police officers escorted the pair to the Juvenile Detention Center, only the male juvenile was taken into custody.

The Juvenile Detention Center staff did not take the female juvenile into custody because they told police officers the facility was over-crowded with boys, and it would not be safe for a female at the facility.

For Reservations & more information!! Call us at 699-1000

E-mail: [email protected]

“Fiesta Fridays” Why go south of the border?

Grab your sombrero and come enjoy an evening of great food!!

“Arriba Arriba”

EQUATOR RESTAURANT EQUATOR RESTAURANT EQUATOR RESTAURANT IS COOKIN’ UP SPECIALS IS COOKIN’ UP SPECIALS IS COOKIN’ UP SPECIALS

FOR FEBRUARY!! FOR FEBRUARY!! FOR FEBRUARY!!

Love is in the air!! Come enjoy our

Dinner for 2 Special!!!

“Italiano Wednesdays”

Mamma Mia!! Experience the tantalizing

tastes of Italy... “Buon Appetito!!!”

With Live Music!!!

Love always; Your Parents: Palota & Neva Tusiupu Your Sister: Upu, Tuvaofonotuvale, Nuuta Your Brothers: Palota Junior and Palmer JerryTony Best wishes from your families all over the world HAPPY VALENTINE BABY ZULU!!

Dear 1st Birthday to Dear 1st Birthday to Dear 1st Birthday to our Valentine Baby our Valentine Baby our Valentine Baby

Zulu Valentino Nazih Tusiupu Wishing you a Happy 1st Birthday, Baby Zulu May the Lord bless you with many more years to come. Wishing you the very best and may God bless you. - We Love You so-so much!!

1st

(PRESS RELEASE)—HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines has earned the first-ever aviation based carbon credits, having reduced its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 22,000 metric tons over the past six years using an innovative, eco-friendly engine washing technology devel-oped by Pratt & Whitney.

“We are proud to be the first airline to receive verified carbon credits for reducing emissions,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines. “Importantly, engine washing with EcoPower® is helping us to mitigate rising fuel costs and significantly reduce Hawaiian’s carbon footprint at the same time.”

A carbon credit is a verified means of measuring the reduction of industrial CO2 emissions from the environment, with one credit equal to the removal of one ton of CO2.

Hawaiian’s earning of carbon credits has been quantified and certified under the Verified Carbon Standard, the world’s leading independent standard for the measurement and verification of greenhouse gas emissions and the creation of carbon credits.

Hawaiian’s reduction of CO2 emissions using Pratt & Whitney’s patented EcoPower engine washing system has had the equivalent effect of taking 700 cars off the road annually.

In addition, since launching the program in 2005, Hawaiian’s commitment to the engine-washing system has saved the company more than 2.5 million gallons of fuel, along with an estimated 26,000 gallons of water that would have been used with traditional washing methods.

“It is appropriate that our first EcoPower customer, Hawaiian Airlines, is also the first cus-tomer to be awarded Verified Carbon Units as a result,” said Rick Deurloo, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Sales, Americas.

The EcoPower system reduces fuel burn and eliminates three pounds of CO2 for every pound of fuel saved, while also reducing engine temperatures and normal wear. It uses pure, atomized water to wash aircraft engines in a closed-loop system that filters contaminants and reuses water, eliminating potential contaminant runoff. The system is more effective and faster than traditional engine washing processes.

Hawaiian’s engine washing program is part of a broader continuous effort to mitigate high fuel costs and their impact on its customers. The company has commitments to acquire a fleet of new, more fuel efficient aircraft valued at more than $8 billion and has installed performance-enhancing winglets, lighter passenger seats and lighter service carts on its existing wide-body fleet.

Hawaiian employs a number of other measures to reduce its carbon footprint, including a variety of other fuel conservation measures, recycling of waste materials and use of renewable and biodegradable resources in onboard meal packaging and utensils.

The company is also part of an airline industry movement to support development of clean burning alternatives to petroleum-based fuel for powering jet engines.


President’s FY 2013 Budget requests $575 Mil. for Insular Affairs

(BASED ON A PRESS RELEASE) — WASHINGTON, D.C — President Obama has proposed a fiscal year 2013 budget of $575.3 million for the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), the Department of the Interior office that strives to empower U.S.-affiliated insular communities and encourage economic activity and growth.

The budget request includes $88.0 million in current appropriations and $487.3 million in permanent and indefinite appropriations for fiscal payments mandated by law to U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States.

The President’s budget reflects tough budget choices, cut-ting costs in order to fund the highest priority requirements, and advancing efforts to shrink Federal spending while being mindful of ongoing commitments.

INSULAR AREAS“The 2013 budget request demonstrates President Obama’s

continued commitment to the well-being of the U.S. insular areas while remaining fiscally disciplined,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Tony Babauta. “The budget pro-poses strategic investments as we actively pursue economic development initiatives to encourage private sector develop-ment in insular areas.”

The request includes $60.3 million for programs that will address a variety of technical assistance and facilities main-tenance programs in the U.S.-affiliated island communities, including Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The 2013 budget makes noteworthy investments of $5.4 million to pursue increased employment through sustainable and renewable energy strategies, improve the quality and quantity of economic data from the territories, and to support improvements in insular area government management.

The 2013 budget proposes $3.0 million to control the inva-sive brown tree snake on Guam, $1.0 million to assist with coral reef conservation, and $22.8 million to support the oper-ations of the American Samoa Government.

Current mandatory appropriations of $27.7 million will continue to be used to undertake capital improvement projects (CIP) that create economic opportunity in U.S. territories and improve the quality of life in those communities.

With these funds, American Samoa is scheduled to receive $9.9 million in CIP funding; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, $8.7 million; Guam, $6.1 million; and the U.S. Virgin Islands, $2.9 million.

(Source: www.doi.gov/oia)

Navy accepting comment for firing range on Guam

ASAN, Guam (AP) — The Navy is accepting public com-ment regarding the development of a life-fire training range on Guam to support Marines moving to the U.S. territory from Okinawa.

Comments will be accepted for the Navy’s supplemental environmental impact statement study through April 6.

In November, the Navy told a federal court it would conduct additional analysis on its proposal to build a live fire training range at the site of an ancient village on Guam after a lawsuit challenged its plans.

Historic preservation groups and Guamanians say the Navy failed to adequately consider locations that would have less of an impact on the environment and historic sites.

The Navy said Friday the new EIS identifies five alterna-tives for the firing range complex.

© OSini FALeAtASi inc. reServeS ALL riGhtS.dba Samoa News is published Monday through Saturday, except for some local & federal holidays.Please send correspondences to: OF, dba Samoa News, Box 909, Pago Pago, Am. Samoa 96799.Contact us by Telephone at (684) 633-5599 Contact us by Fax at (684) 633-4864Contact us by Email at [email protected] business hours are Mon. thru Fri. 8am to 5pm.Permission to reproduce editorial and/or advertisements, in whole or in part, is required. Please

address such requests to the Publisher at the address provided above.

Hawaiian Airlines earns first-ever Aviation Carbon Credits for reducing its emissions…bENEFITS EquAL TO REMOVING 700 CARS FROM ROAdS ANNuALLy

LetterS tO the eDitOrSamoa News welcomes and encourages

Letters to the Editor. Please send them to our email [email protected]

Box 909, Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799.Contact us by Telephone at (684) 633-5599Contact us by Fax at (684) 633-4864Contact us by Email atNormal business hours are Mon. thru Fri. 8am to 5pm.Permission to reproduce editorial and/or advertisements, in

whole or in part, is required. Please address such requests to the Publisher at the address provided above.


by Samoa News staff Congressman Faleomavaega

Eni last week submitted to Gov. Togiola Tulafono a draft of a proposed federal legislation that would repeal a 1983 law requiring congressional approval of amendments to the constitu-tion of American Samoa.

Faleomavaega’s letter to the governor expressed his intent to discuss the proposed bill, saying he will also request an opportunity to confer with leaders and members of the Fono on this matter.

Faleomaveaga explained that the law the draft bill will repeal, came about in 1983 after a dispute between then Assis-tant Secretary of Interior Pedro San Juan and the American Samoa Government (ASG).

San Juan attempted at that time to remove the local attorney general but at the request of then Gov. Peter Tali Coleman, Congressman Fofo Sunia intro-duced a bill to amend provision of federal law 48 U.S.C. 1662, as a way to “… prevent the Assistant Secretary of Interior from removing the attorney gen-eral who was appointed by the popularly elected Governor and confirmed by the legislature...”, Faleomavaega explained.

The removal of the Attorney General would have under-mined the authority of the elected governor of American Samoa, and thereby contra-dicted the concept of an elected governor to appoint members of his cabinet, which included the Attorney General, he said.

Addressing Fofo’s concerns, Congress enacted under Title 48 U.S.C. 1662a, the new law which now states: “Amend-ments of, or modifications to, the constitution of American Samoa, as approved by the Sec-retary of the Interior pursuant to Executive Order 10264 as in effect January 1, 1983, may be made only by Act of Congress.”

“The actions by former Assistant Secretary San Juan were rare and unlikely to occur

again,” he explained. “An indi-cation of the possibility of an event occurring again was reaf-firmed by San Juan’s successor, Assistant Secretary of Interior Robert Montoya who at a con-gressional hearing held May 8, 1984 stated that ‘if things would revert back to the way it was in the past (before Fofo’s amend-ment passed), any changes would have to be something where there was complete agreement with the elected lead-ership of American Samoa”.

Faleomavaega points out that as of now, before any changes can be made to amend any provision of the 1969 Revised Constitution of Amer-ican Samoa, it requires, first the approval of the majority of the voters, then the approval of the Secretary of Interior, and finally approval of the Congress.

“It should be noted there is no guarantee that such amend-ments will be approved by the Congress,” he said.

Another area of concern is that Congress has never taken the opportunity to carefully review the provisions of Amer-ican Samoa’s Constitution. For example, the selection process of our local Senators.

“There will likely be ques-tions raised why our Senators are not elected. While we can argue that it was a way to strike a balance between our culture and democracy, I am certain some Members [of Congress] will insist on the election of our Senators and that the Senators should be represented not just by our Matai or Chiefs, but all the people living in their dis-tricts,” he said.

Faleomavaega also points to Section 3, Article I of American Samoa’s Constitution which states that: “It shall be the policy of the Government of Amer-ican Samoa to protect persons of Samoan ancestry against alienation of their lands and the destruction of the Samoan way of life and language, contrary to their best interests. Such legis-

lation as may be necessary may be enacted to protect the lands, customs, culture, and traditional Samoan family organization of persons of Samoan ancestry…”

He said congressional members could find the provi-sion providing for “persons of Samoan ancestry” in violation of the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

“These members of Con-gress who object to racial restrictions in the American Samoa constitution could pro-pose legislation to eliminate racially restrictive laws in America Samoa,” he said and cited for example, there are laws that require a 50% Samoan blood quantum to own land, or to receive a Matai title.

“Since Congress has ple-nary authority over the ter-ritories under the Territorial Clause, any action by Congress eliminating racial restrictions in American Samoa can be chal-lenged, but the results of a fed-eral court decision may not be in our favor,” he said.

He said the proposed legisla-tion will allow the people and leaders of American Samoa to work closely with the Secretary of the Interior.

“If there are needed changes to be made to the Constitution, it will be a lot easier to make the changes without Congressional involvement,” he said.

Complete context of the Congressman’s letter in a news release from his office can be found on the online version of this story at www.samo-anews.com or Faleomavaega’s website at www.house.gov/faleomavaega

Dear Daddy Jeffry Toloa Dear Daddy Jeffry Toloa Dear Daddy Jeffry Toloa You are seldom appreciated for all that you have done for me. I want to make this valentines day special by saying thank you daddy for all that you do for me.

I love you always, Your Lil Princess Sinafetulillyuamomoeileatuvanu Mayreesah Fetuao-Toloa.

Faleomavaega submits to the Gov a draft to repeal 1983 lawREquIRING CONGRESS TO APPROVE AMENdMENTS TO LOCAL CONSTITuTION

In Pago In Pago E valani’s E valani’s E valani’s

NOW OPEN FOR BREAKFAST & LUNCH Call 633-7777, 252-2588, 258-6444

Karaoke We have the Biggest & Best Selection of your Favorite Songs: Samoan, Hawaiian, Oldies but Goodies, Motown & more.... Sing along with your hostess: The Lovely Emily Afo & Friends.

V alentine’s ROOM SPECIAL

$50 per Couple

TACO Thursdays $1.00 Valentine’s Day

SPECIALS Tuesday February 14, 2012

LUNCH FOR TWO - $19.95 Lasagna w/Garlic Bread, Green Salad & Dessert

Dinner for Two - $39.95 Top Sirloin Steak & Shrimp Alfredo served w/ all the Trimmings, Dessert and Complimentary Glass of Mimosa


ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -- What becomes of a garden gnome hurled in fury at a car during a stormy breakup?

Or a teddy bear that was once a Valentine’s Day present? A wedding dress from a mar-riage gone awry? An ax that smashed through household furniture?

All are on display at the Museum of Broken Relationships in the Croatian capital, each with written testimonies telling tales of pas-sion, romance and heartbreak.

On Valentine’s Day, the museum sees its visits almost double.

“The objects that are here represent all the stages of a breakup ... and how people go through love,” said Drazen Grubisic, a designer and artist who co-founded the museum in 2010 in the Croatian capital.

“We might say it’s a love museum, just upside down,” he said.

The mementos - collected from all over the world - are random and varied, ranging from fake rubber breasts to a cast from a broken leg. Each item comes with dates and locations of the relationships, and notes by their anony-mous donors.

Some are funny. The note next to a garter belt says: “I never put them on. The relation-ship might have lasted longer if I had.”

Some are bitter. The garden gnome flew over a car driven by a husband who turned “arrogant and heartless.” It bounced on the asphalt, shattering its face.

“It was a long loop, drawing an arc of time ... that defined the end of love,” the note from Slovenia said.

An ax from Berlin was used by a woman to smash every piece of furniture her girlfriend had left behind.

“The more the room filled with chopped furniture, (the more) I felt better.”

The text by a blue frisbee reads: “Darling, should you ever get the ridiculous idea to walk into a cultural institution like a museum for the first time in your life, you’ll remember me.”

The museum, located just across from Zagreb’s City Hall where couples get mar-ried, currently displays some 100 “relics” out of about 1,000 that have been collected from around the world.

Parts of the collection have traveled as far as Manila, London and Singapore to be put on display.

In each city, the heartbroken can donate their stuff to the Zagreb museum.

A prosthetic leg currently showcased in England at the National Centre for Craft and Design, was donated by a war veteran who fell in love with his physical therapist.

A note says it lasted longer than the rela-tionship because it was made of “sturdier material.”

The museum itself is the brainchild of a breakup. When Grubisic and co-founder Olinka Vistica, a filmmaker, split up, they got stuck when it came to dividing their senti-mental memorabilia. T

hey didn’t want to just get rid of it, so they created a museum.

“Maybe sometime in your life you will want to remember some of the good parts of the relationship,” Grubisic said.

He said that donors of mementos find the giving therapeutic.

“They can move on,” he said. “They also show there’s something universal: We all have been brokenhearted at least once.”

Pictured is Wallace Salima, holding the head of a ‘turkey’ that he said was in one of the cases of turkey tails that his mother, Pule Salima purchased last Friday evening at one of the local grocery stores for their church barbecue fundraiser. “We called the store to tell them that we found some-thing in one of the cases and they said for us to bring it back. But we wanted to stop by Samoa News first,” said Wallace Salima.

“I just want the processing company or wherever they purchase their cases of turkey tails, to be more careful and watch what they are doing,” said Pule Salima.

She told Samoa News that of the seven cases purchased last Friday evening, only one had a turkey head inside of it and the rest appeared to be normal. [photo: Jeff Hayner]

On this Valentine’s Day… museum for broken hearts

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- Whitney Houston was underwater and apparently unconscious when she was pulled from a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub, and she had prescription drugs in her room, authorities said Monday.

Two days after her death, Houston’s body was taken to a small, Los Angeles-area airport and flown to New Jersey, where her family was making arrangements for a funeral at the end of the week.

An autopsy was done Sunday, and authorities said there were no indications of foul play and no obvious signs of trauma on Houston’s body. It could be weeks, however, before the coroner’s office completes toxicology tests to establish her cause of death.

The 48-year-old singer had struggled for years with cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her behavior had become erratic.

Houston was found Saturday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel by a member of her staff about 3:30 p.m., just hours before she was supposed to appear at a pre-Grammy Awards gala, police Lt. Mark Rosen said.

She was pulled from the tub by members of her staff, and hotel security was promptly notified, Rosen said. She was pronounced dead about a half-hour later.

“As of right now, it’s not a criminal investigation,” Rosen said, refusing to release further details. “We have concluded our portion of the investigation at the hotel.”

Los Angeles County coroner’s assistant chief Ed Winter said there were bottles of prescription medicine in the room. He would not give details except to say: “There weren’t a lot of prescription bottles. You probably have just as many pre-scription bottles in your medicine cabinet.”

The coroner’s office released the body to the family Monday morning. Later, a police convoy accompanied two vehicles into a Van Nuys Airport hangar, and a private, twin-engine jet rolled out of the hangar and took off shortly after 3 p.m. PST.

Two people who spoke with Houston’s family said the singer was being taken to New Jersey. Late Monday, a hearse under heavy police escort arrived at the Newark, N.J., funeral home that officials said was handling the arrangements for the late pop star.

The two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak for the family, said Houston’s relatives raised the possibility of a wake Thursday and a funeral Friday at Newark’s Prudential Center, an arena that can seat about 18,000 people.

Houston was born in Newark and raised in nearby East Orange. She began singing as a child at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church, where her mother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, led the music program for many years.

The White House said President Barack Obama’s thoughts and prayers were with Houston’s family, especially her daughter. Press secretary Jay Carney paid tribute to the sing-er’s “immense talent” and called it a tragedy to lose some-body so gifted at such a young age.

Houston’s death is a sad rewind of what befell Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse. It took three months for a London coroner to rule that Winehouse drank herself to death last July.

A powerful anesthetic was quickly linked to Jackson’s June 2009 death. Three months ago, Jackson’s doctor was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Houston’s death tinged the Grammy ceremonies with sadness. It also probably boosted viewership, which was 50 percent higher than last year, with nearly 40 million viewers tuning in to the program on CBS.

A sensation from her first album, Houston was one of the world’s best-selling artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, turning out such hits as “I Wanna Dance With Some-body,” “How Will I Know,” “The Greatest Love of All” and “I Will Always Love You.” But as she struggled with drugs, her majestic voice became raspy, and she couldn’t hit the high notes.

Mourners left flowers, balloons and candles at the wrought-iron fence around the tall brick Newark church where she got her start. It sits near an abandoned housing project and the train line leading to New York City.

“She was an inspiration to everybody,” said Gregory Hanks, an actor who grew up in the neighborhood and who dropped off a bouquet. He saw Houston perform in New Jersey years ago.

“I grew up listening to her as a little boy, and to hear her sing, you knew she was special,” he said.

Authorities: Whitney Houston was under-water in the bathtub


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking a pass on reining in government growth, President Barack Obama unveiled a record $3.8 trillion election-year budget plan Monday, calling for stimulus-style spending on roads and schools and tax hikes on the wealthy to help pay the costs. The ideas landed with a thud on Capitol Hill.

Though the Pentagon and a number of Cabinet agencies would get squeezed, Obama would leave the spiraling growth of health care programs for the elderly and the poor largely unchecked. The plan claims $4 trillion in deficit savings over the coming decade, but most of it would be through tax increases Republicans oppose, lower war costs already in motion and budget cuts enacted last year in a debt pact with GOP lawmakers.

Many of the ideas in the White House plan for the 2013 budget year will be thrashed out during this year’s election campaigns as the Republicans try to oust Obama from the White House and add Senate control to their command of the House.

“We can’t just cut our way into growth,” Obama said at a campaign-style rally at a com-munity college in the vote-rich Northern Vir-ginia suburbs. “We can cut back on the things that we don’t need, but we also have to make sure that everyone is paying their fair share for the things that we do need.”

Republicans were unimpressed. While the measure contains some savings to Medicare and Medicaid, generally by reducing payments to health providers, both programs would double in size over the coming decade.

“It seems like the president has decided again to campaign instead of govern and that he’s just going to duck this country’s fiscal problems,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

By the administration’s reckoning, the def-icit would drop to $901 billion next year - still requiring the government to borrow 24 cents of every dollar it spends - and would settle in the $600 billion-plus range by 2015.The deficit for the current budget year, which ends Sept. 30, would hit $1.3 trillion, a near record and the fourth straight year of trillion-plus red ink.

Obama’s budget blueprint reprises a long roster of prior proposals: raising taxes on cou-ples making more than $250,000 a year; elimi-nating numerous tax breaks for oil and gas com-panies, and approving a series of smaller tax and fee proposals. Similar proposals failed even when the Democrats controlled Congress.

The Pentagon would cut purchases of Navy ships and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters - and trim 100,000 troops from its rolls over coming years - while NASA would scrap two missions to Mars.

But there are spending increases, too: The Obama plan seeks $476 billion for transpor-tation projects including roads, bridges and a much-criticized high-speed rail initiative. Grants for better performing schools would get a big increase under Obama’s “Race to the Top” initiative, and there would be an $8 bil-lion fund to train community college students for high-growth industries.

Republicans accused the president of yet again failing to do anything meaningful to reduce deficits that could threaten the country with a European-style debt crisis unless they are wrestled under control.

As a political document, the Obama plan blends a handful of jobs-boosting initiatives with poll-tested tax hikes on the rich, including higher taxes on dividends and income earned by hedge fund managers. That would allow Obama to draw a contrast with GOP front-runner Mitt Romney, whose personal fortune and relatively low tax rate would be an issue in the general election campaign.

Another contrast with Republicans will come on Medicare, the enormously popular health care program for the elderly. Obama leaves the

program mostly alone, while Republicans are on record in favor of gradually replacing the current system in which the government pays doctor and hospital bills with a voucher-like plan that would have government subsidize purchases of health insurance.

Nor does Obama tackle Social Security’s fiscal imbalance. Payroll taxes paid into the pro-gram fall well short of what’s needed to cover benefits; the shortfall is made up by tapping into a $2.7 trillion trust fund that’s built up since the last overhaul of the program in the early 1980s.

Said Romney: “We can save Social Secu-rity and Medicare with a few commonsense reforms, and - unlike President Obama - I’m not afraid to put them on the table.”

The president’s tax proposals and most of his new jobs initiatives are likely to arrive as dead letters on Capitol Hill, where the imme-diate focus is on Obama’s proposal to renew a 2 percentage point cut in Social Security pay-roll taxes and jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed. House GOP leaders did an abrupt about-face on Monday and declared that they are willing to add to the deficit the $100 billion cost of renewing the payroll tax cut.

While Obama and Congress appear headed for deadlock over big-picture questions such as Medicare cuts and tax hikes, there’s still the work of filling in the details of last summer’s budget and debt pact, which set tight caps on annual appropriations bills funding the day-to-day operations of government.

Those caps are putting most agencies in a pinch, though the Department of Veterans Affairs would win a 4.5 percent increase, the Energy Department would get a 3.5 percent hike, while Treasury gets a 4.2 percent boost reflecting increases for the IRS.

The Pentagon, which had grown used to budget increases well in excess of inflation until recently, would absorb its first outright budget cut since the post-Cold War “peace dividend” of the early 1990s, including cuts to major weapons systems, fewer combat ships and the reduction in troops.

The budget for medical research at the National Institutes for Health would be frozen after years of reliable increases and the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency would bear a 4 percent cut after coming under assault by Republicans for two consecutive budget cycles. Special education grants to schools would be essentially frozen.

On taxes, Obama proposes allowing the Bush-era tax cuts to expire at the end of this year for families making $250,000 or more per year.

Obama, as he has in the past, also proposed limiting tax deductions taken by the wealthy and would also put in place a rule named for billionaire Warren Buffett that would seek to make sure that households making more than $1 million annually pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes.

Obama would also impose a new $61 bil-lion tax over 10 years on big banks aimed at recovering the costs of the financial bailout and providing money to help homeowners facing foreclosure. The proposal also would raise $41 billion over 10 years by eliminating tax breaks for oil, gas and coal companies.

The plan contains a host of other proposals whose budget impact would be modest but would be felt by almost everyone, among them an end to Saturday mail delivery. There’s also a plan to raise $593 million by eliminating deduc-tions for golf course conservation easement and a plan that would raise the one-way security fee on airline tickets to $7.50, up from fees that are now as low as $2.50 for a nonstop flight.

To spur job creation in the short term, Obama is proposing a $50 billion “upfront” investment for transportation, $30 billion to modernize at least 35,000 schools and $30 billion to help

CHRONICLE – RATED: PG-13 Starring: Dane Dehaan, Micheal B. Jordan, Micheal Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

NOTES Discount Tuesdays , all tickets are $5.25 for all shows. Movies and Times are Subject to change without notice. Call 699-3456/699-9225 for additional information. Gift Certificates make the perfect gift and are available at our Box Office!

Excludes Holidays

NUUULI PLACE CINEMAS 699-3456

$5.25 - Bargain Matinees All Shows Before 6pm $5.25 - Senior Admissions All Day $4.25 - All Day For Kids $6.75 - Adults

Discount Tuesdays $5.25 - ADMISSION ALL DAY TUESDAY

Friday: — 4: 15 7: 15 9: 15 Saturday : 1: 15 4: 15 7: 15 9: 15

Sunday : 1: 15 4: 15 7: 15 — “Discount Tuesday”: — 4:15 7:15 9:15

Mon/Wed/Thurs: — 4: 15 7: 15 —

Friday: — 4:00 7:00 9: 15 Saturday : 1:00 4:00 7:00 9: 15

Sunday : 1:00 4:00 7:00 — “Discount Tuesday”: — 4:00 7:00 9:15

Mon/Wed/Thurs: — 4:00 7:00 —

JOURNEY 2: The Mysterious Island – RATED: PG

Starring: Dwayne Johnson “The Rock”, Micheal Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens

Young Sean Anderson receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It’s a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank, joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.

Obama’s budget: Govern-ment still getting bigger


ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Firefighters doused smol-dering buildings and cleanup crews swept rubble from the streets of central Athens on Monday following a night of rioting during which lawmakers approved harsh new austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors to save the nation from bankruptcy.

Police said rioters destroyed or damaged more than 110 build-ings, of which 50 were burned. They included nine listed as national heritage buildings, mostly in the neoclassical style, while 30 stores were looted.

Smoke still rose from the remains of a landmark 1870 building which had housed one of the capital’s most loved cin-emas, the Attikon, since 1916. About 100 people held a candle-light protest outside the gutted structure late Monday.

“Criminals targeted all that was best in the city of Athens, its neoclassical monuments,” said Thanassis Davakis, cultural policy chief of the conservative New Democracy party, a coali-tion government partner. “The damage must be swiftly redressed and the city’s memory restored.”

The stench of tear gas still hung in the air on Monday, choking passers-by, while traffic lights at many major inter-

sections were out after being smashed. The Athens munici-pality said cleanup crews had gathered an estimated 40 tons of broken marble and rocks from the streets of the center, while railings, drainage covers and paving stones from sidewalks also suffered extensive damage.

More than 170 people were hurt in the rioting which also broke out in other Greek cities. Authorities said 109 police needed medical care after being injured by gasoline bombs, rocks and other objects hurled at them, while at least 70 pro-testers were hospitalized.

Police arrested 79 people - including a 14-year-old - and detained a further 92, while in several cases they had to escort fire crews to burning build-ings after hooded and masked protesters prevented access, injuring four firefighters. Police also said they were investigating a complaint from a businessman that rioters demanded money to leave his establishment intact.

A police statement said the suspects would be charged with offenses ranging from attempted murder and possession of explo-sives to looting.

“(The rioters) intentionally picked traditional buildings to burn,” New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said. “These scum must know that when the time comes I will rip off their hoods.”

Athens Traders’ Associa-tion head Panaghis Karellas demanded the dismissal of Public Order Minister Christos Papoutsis, and said afflicted shopowners should receive state compensation.

“Once again, those in posi-tions of responsibility, even though they should have been prepared, were unable to fulfill their duty and secure the well-being of citizens and visitors, cultural landmarks and historic buildings, public and private property and our country’s inter-national image,” the association said in a statement.

The ESEE national com-merce confederation said most of the badly damaged shops will very likely never open again. “The center of the capital looks as if it has been bombed,” an ESEE statement said.

The rioting began Sunday afternoon after more than 100,000 protesters marched to the parliament ahead of a vote on drastic austerity measures that include axing one in five civil service jobs over the next three years and slashing the minimum wage by more than a fifth.

Lawmakers approved the bill in a 199-74 vote, to the relief of investors who pushed the Athens stock index up 4.7 percent.

The vote was crucial for the country to secure euro130 bil-lion ($172 billion) in new rescue loans and avoid a potentially catastrophic default next month - bankruptcy could push Greece out of Europe’s euro currency

union, drag down other troubled eurozone countries and further roil global markets.

The new bailout deal, which has not yet been finalized, will be combined with a massive bond swap deal to write off half the country’s privately held debt, reducing Greece’s debt load by about euro100 billion.

However, it could take time before the country receives any of the cash. For both deals to materialize, Greece has to per-suade deeply skeptical credi-tors it has the will to implement spending cuts and public sector reforms that will end years of fiscal profligacy and tame gaping budget deficits.

Eurozone finance ministers meet on Wednesday to dis-cuss the issue, after refusing to approve the plan during a meeting last week, saying Athens had to first approve the new austerity measures.

But German Finance Min-istry spokeswoman Marianne Kothe said the ministers will not make a final decision on the second aid package Wednesday. She said the bond swap agree-ment must be finalized first, and the ministers will focus on mea-sures “necessary for the second Greek package.”

Before signing off on the bailout, the eurozone ministers also want Greek political leaders to commit in writing to uphold the austerity plan even after the general election in April. Gov-ernment spokesman Pantelis Kapsis said the written guaran-tees are needed by Wednesday.

Although the bill passed the Parliamentary vote, there was strong dissent among the majority Socialists and rival Con-servatives who make up Greece’s interim coalition government. The Socialists and Conserva-tives expelled the 22 and 21 law-makers respectively, reducing their majority in the 300-member parliament from 236 to 193.

Germany gave the vote result a cautious welcome, with For-eign Minister Guido Wester-welle describing it as “a first significant step along the right road.”

“However, the actual diffi-cult work with implementing the reforms that have been agreed on is only just starting now,” he said. “That is the decisive pre-condition for Germany and the other euro partners being able to stand by Greece with a further rescue package.”

The new austerity comes after two years of deep spending cuts and repeated tax hikes that have sent unemployment soaring to more than 20 percent and left the country struggling through a fifth year of recession.

Those measures were taken in return for a first, euro110 bil-lion ($145 billion) package of rescue loans, but despite the cut-backs, Greece repeatedly failed to meet its targets in reducing its debt and deficit and increasing economic competitiveness.

C M

Y K

C M

Y K


Happy 1st Birthday Happy 1st Birthday Happy 1st Birthday Samulimuli

Valentine Cynthia Iafeta

What a precious bundle of Joy you are Cute from head to toes You melt our hearts with your sweetness everywhere you go You’re a very special gift Descended from heaven above The most perfect little ANGEL Sent for your (Nana Sa & Gamma Liua) to LOVE

With all our love & best wishes from your loving parents To’afala & Alofa Iafeta For your very 1st Birthday!!!!

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY & YOU WILL ALWAYS BE OUR VALENTINE!!!!

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY & YOU WILL ALWAYS BE OUR VALENTINE!!!! You’re daddy’s PRINCESS and

mommy’s DEAREST You’re your uncle’s CRAZIEST

and aunty’s HARDEST You’re your brother’s MOOCHES

and sister’s GREAT PARTNER You’re nana’s FAVORITE and

gamma’s LOVING -EST

Your innocent eyes and your contagious smile are extremely addictive. You bring unlimited JOY into our lives.

FROM: All your cousins, Aunties & Uncles, your only Brother Lorenzo and only Sister Yvette, especially your NANA SA & GAMMA LIUA

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY PRINCESS SAMULIMULI!!!

1

1

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY HONEY!!! The boys and I love you!!!

Thank you for being the best mom & wife!!!

Your Husband, TAP

dniF gnihtyna

?tey Place an ad now!

633-5599

C M

Y K

C M

Y K

Greece surveys damage from riots after new austerity vote

C M

Y K

C M

Y K


By Jeff HaynerSamoa News Reporter

There is a strange phenomena happening in the territory, as Myna birds, (also known as Mynah birds) — an invasive species in American Samoa — have been reported falling from the sky recently in the Nu’uuli area, with around twenty birds found dead.

Eight of the dead birds have been sent off to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Hawaii by the local Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR), according to Alden Tagarino, the Wildlife Biologist at DMWR investigating the mys-tery of the unusual occurrence.

“I responded to a call we received about a weird event of birds falling from the sky and dying,” said Tagarino, in response to Samoa News questions. “We collected more than twenty of these dead Myna birds and this is a real concern,” he said. “Although these are “common” Myna birds, they are not native here and they are considered an invasive species — in an event like this, where there are ten or more falling dead at the same time, it is of great concern to us, and that is why our office responds very quickly to something like this.”

Tagarino said, “this is being processed through the USGS with Dr. Thierry Work.”

In the meantime, he said they are reaching out to the public with a reminder: if the public experience an event such as this one, if they see the birds fall, or come upon them on the ground, to call the Wildlife Emergency Hotline at 733-5304 or 733-5306.

He also wants to stress the fact, that it is better to call these numbers than to handle the situation yourself.

“If you see a dead bird, or even a sick bird, please do not touch the birds.” the DMWR biologist said. “We have the right training and equipment for responding to this and collecting samples. We want to follow protocol for the safety of the people here in Amer-ican Samoa.”

He noted that we have all heard of Avian Influenza (bird flu) but there have been no reported cases of Avian Influenza in the territory. “We are not saying that this is what it is, we don’t know what is causing this, and there is no need for panic… We will find out soon the cause of death of these birds,” he added.

According to an information booklet for the “National Con-trol of the Myna,” the Common Myna has been exported from their land of origin, the Indian sub continent, to many parts of the world by people who like their jaunty attitude, clear and striking calls and also to control insect pests.

According to Wikipedia, the “Common Myna” or “Indian Myna” (Acridotheres tristis)— sometimes spelled Mynah — is a member of family Sturnidae (starlings), which are native to Asia. Calling the Myna “an omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct,” it says that the bird has been intro-duced in many parts of the world and its distribution range is on the increase. “It is a serious threat to the ecosystems of Australia.” says Wikipedia.

The Common Myna is an important motif in Indian culture and appears both in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature.

“National Control of the Myna” booklet states that the birds are firmly established in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Solomons, New Caledonia, Fiji, Cook Islands, Hawaii, Samoa and American Samoa. Also according to the booklet, in the year 2000, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature declared the Mynah Bird among 100 of the world’s most invasive species.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]

DMWR investigates Myna birds “falling” out of sky in Nu’uuli

At least 20 common Mynah birds have fallen from the sky in the Nu’uuli area recently, which caused concern with the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources and Wildlife Biologist Alden Tagarino (pictured). According to Tagarino, eight of the dead Mynah birds have been sent to the United States Geological Survey in Hawaii, to find out the cause of the death. Tagarino reminds the public to please immediately contact the Wildlife Emergency Hotline at 733-5304 or 733-5306, if they spot any dead Mynah birds, or other types of birds. [photo: Jeff Hayner]

C M

Y K

C M

Y K

CHICAGO (AP) -- Chicago’s city clerk says she will buy a $1,000 savings bond for the boy whose winning design for the 2012-13 vehicle registration sticker was scrapped because some believe it may depict gang signs.

The sticker in question was designed by 15-year-old Herbert Pulgar, who attends a school for troubled youth. It includes the city’s skyline inside a heart, with hands pointing toward a police hat, firefighter helmet and paramedic symbol. The boy said it was meant to honor city firefighters, paramedics and police.

City Clerk Susana Mendoza, reacting to concern the art-work contained gang signals, decided against its use.

The runner-up design will be used instead. That art depicts a firefighter, police officer and paramedic as superheroes.

Mendoza said Thursday she feels terrible by what Pulgar is going through.

Chicago city clerk buying bond for sticker designer


SN/Le LaliFA’AMALOLO ST. JOSEPH SE FAIAOGA Tu’uA’IA I LE FAIA O AMIOGA MATAGA

Ua toe fa’amalolo e le a’oga a le Sagato Iosefo ia se ali’i mai atunu’u i fafo na avea ma a latou faiaoga o mata’upu tau fa’ato’aga, ina ua manino i ta’ita’i o a’oga a le ekalesia Kato-liko, le molia o lenei ali’i i le faia o ni amioga mataga.

Na fa’aalia e le fa’auluulu o a’oga Katoliko, le susuga Aeau Chris Hazelman, na fa’ato’a o latou nofo malamalama i nei tu’uaiga i le vaiaso ua mavae.

O lenei ali’i sa galue i le Iunivesite a le Pas-efika, ae na fa’ate’a ma le iunivesite ina ua faia tu’ua’iga fa’asaga ia te ia, e se tama’ita’i na a’oga i le iunivesite, lea na fa’ao’o atu i le SVSG (Samoa Victim Support Group).

Na fa’amaonia e le tama’ita’i peresetene o le SVSG, le i ai o se tagi na fa’ao’o atu i lo latou ofisa e fa’asaga i lenei ali’i faiaoga. O lenei ali’i e malaga mai i atunu’u i fafo, ae ua fa’aipoipo atu i se tama’ita’i Samoa.

Na fa’amaonia e le fa’atonusili le tumau a le USP, o Leatuaolevao RubyVa’a, le galue o lenei ali’i i totonu o le iunivesite ae e le’i avea o ia ma se faiaoga. Ma sa i ai ni tu’ua’iga na faia e ni isi o tama’ita’i o le aoga, e fa’asaga ia te ia. Ma na fa’amaonia mai e Leatuaolevao ia le fa’ate’aina o lenei ali’i mai i le iunivesite ia Novema o le tausaga ua mavae.

Na ta’ua e Leatuaolevao, e le’i maua se avanoa e faia ai ni su’esu’ega a le iunivesite e fa’asaga i lenei mata’upu, ona sa vave fa’ate’a lenei ali’i.

E leai fo’i se tagi na fa’ao’o atu i le Ofisa a Leoleo. Na ta’ua e Aeau, afai e mafai ona fa’amaonia e lenei ali’i le le moni o nei tu’ua’iga, o le a mafai ona toe taliaina o ia i totonu o le a’oga. Na ia fa’aalia e fa’apea, ua mae’a ona

talanoa le ali’i pule o le a’oga, Brother Siaosi, ma lenei ali’i ma ua mae’a ona fa’amanino atu ia te ia, ina ia fofoina lenei fa’afitauli.LE ILOA E PuLEA’OGA SE MEA E TASI

Na ta’ua e le pulea’oga a le kolisi a Avele, le susuga Luafalealo Mikaele Tofete, le leai o sona malama i se fuafuaga a le malo, lea na fa’alauiloa e le Minisita o A’oga, Ta’aloga ma Aganu’u, lea o le a liua ai ni kolisi se tolu, e avea ma Kolisi Fa’aitumalo.

Na ta’ua e Luafalealo, na fa’ato’a ia iloa lava lea tulaga ina ua fa’alogo ma faitau ai i ripoti a vaega fa’asalalau.

O le saunoaga fo’i lea e tasi mai i le pulea’oga a le Kolisi a Samoa, le susuga Reupena Rimoni, se tasi foi o a’oga o le a avea ma Kolisi Fa’aitumalo. Na ia ta’ua e fa’apea, na o’o atu sui o le Itu Agai e sa’ili sona manatu i lenei mata’upu, ae na ia fai i ai, e fou lea tulaga i lana fa’alogo

Na ta’ua e Reupena, atonu ua talanoaina lenei mataupu e ta’ita’i o le malo, ae e le’i o’o atu lava se fa’aaliga ia i latou.

O se vaitaimi lata mai na fa’alauiloa ai e le Minisita o A’oga, le susuga Magele Mauiliu Magele ia nei suiga fou, ona o le aga’i i luga o fuainumera o fanau a’oga. Ae peita’i na fa’aalia le fa’atuiese o le Itu Agai, i lea fuafuaga. E pei ona saunoa le ta’itai o le Tautua Samoa, le susuga Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, e le i saunia Samoa mo lenei suiga.

Na ta’ua e Lealailepule, o nei ituaiga suiga e mai i isi atunu’u e pei o Niu Sila ma Ausetalia , ae e le tatau mo Samoa. Na ia fa’aalia fo’i e fa’apea, o le tausaga ua mavae, sa na’o le tasi le faiaoga o le Numera a le Kolisi Samoa. Ua talitonu Leala, e tatau ona taga’i le Minisita ma le malo, i tulaga e pei o le toalaiti o faiaoga ma le tulaga o a latou totogi.

tusia Ausage FausiaNa aofia i saunoaga a afioga Senatoa i se latou iloiloga sa

fa’ataunu’uina i le vaiaso ua mavae, ia le tatau ona faia se fa’ai’uga fa’asaga i le ali’i kovana, po o le fa’atula’i ese fo’i, ona o le tele o fa’afitauli matuia ua maitauina, i le fa’afoega o le malo i le taimi nei.

Sa saunoa le afioga Senatoa Galeai Tuufuli, e i ai ala o le tula-fono e mafai ai ona fai se fa’aiuga fa’asaga i le taitai o le malo, pe afai e manatu le fono ma le tagata ua fa’aletonu le taitaiga o le malo, ma o lea fa’aiuga e le faia e le Senate, ae o le Maota o Sui o lo o i ai le malosi lea.

O saunoaga a Galeai na tuuina atu i luma o le Senate i le aso Faraile na tea nei, ina ua maea ona fa’alauiloa e le alii peresetene le tusi mai ia kovana Togiola Tulafono, na te te’ena ai le pili tupe e $1.56 miliona, na pasia e le fono, e tu’uina atu mo le falemai o le LBJ.

Saunoa Gaoteote Palaie Tofau, e lagona lona fa’anoanoa ona o le tulaga e pei ona i ai le fa’ai’uga a le alii kovana i pili tupe o lo o galue ai ai le fono mo le falemai, e ui e lagona lona fiafia ona o lo o galulue pea le fono mo le tau sailia o se fofo o le faafitauli mo le falemai.

Na taua e Gaoteote, e ui i le finagalo o le alii kovana i le le lava o le tupe lea e tali ai le manaoga o le falemai o lo o tulai mai, peitai e i ai lona talitonuga, e mafai lava ona maua le fesoasoani mo le falemai pe afai e maua mai se tupe feololo mai le itu ma lea itu o le malo, nai lo le taumafai e saili se vaega tupe tele ae emo ane le ata e le maua.

Na faatatau le saunoaga a le alii peresetene i le pili tupe e $10 miliona a le kovana lea na tuuina mai i le fono i se taimi e lei mamao atu, lea ua toe tuuina atu i ai lana tusi i le kovana ina ia toe faasao le faaupuina o lea tulafono, lea o loo fuafua le kovana e faatupe mai i pili tupe ia e faaopoopo ai lafoga i luga o oloa e pei o le pia, sikaleti ma le ava malosi, o le pili e faaee ai le lafoga i totogi e 4%, ma le pili e faaee ai lafoga i pisinisi atoa ai ma le isi pili e sii ai totogi o laisene pisinisi i le atunuu.

I le tusi a Togiola i taitai o le fono i le aso Tofi na tea nei, sa ia faafetaia ai i latou mo le galuega i le pasiaina o le $1.6 miliona lea e faatupe mai i tupe faasili o le tausaga tupe 2011 e fesoa-soani ai mo le falemai, peitai e i ai lona talitonuga o lea pili tupe e na o le 2 lava vaiaso e faaaoga ai e le falemai ae maea.

Na faailoa e Togiola i taitai o le fono e faapea, “afai tou te silasila i le vaega tupe lea e manaomia e le falemai e faatupe ai lana tautua, o le tupe lea na outou pasiaina mai e na o se taimi puupuu e foia ai, ae faaauau pea ona tumau le faafitauli tele o loo i ai.”

“O le mea moni, e toe foi lava le falemai o le LBJ i le faafitauli tuai o loo latou faafeagai pe afai e maea ona latou faaaogaina lea vaega tupe,” o le saunoaga lea a le alii kovana.

Saunoa Galeai, o faafitauli ia ua olioli mai i le faatautaiga o le malo, e i’u ina lafotu ai le sa o le atunuu, aua e le gata o lea ua manatu le kovana e galulue le fono mo le faapasiaina o lana pili tupe e $10 e fesoasoani ai mo le falemai, ae o lea foi ua ia faaulu le pili e toe faafoi atu ai le falemai i le malo.

“E leai se tasi o le atunuu na te le o lagonaina le tulaga pagatia ua i ai le falemai, atoa ai ma le manaoga i le tatau lea ona tuu atu se fesoasoani mo le falemai, ua manaomia foi e tagata matitiva ma lima vaivai se fesoasoani i le taimi nei,” o le saunoaga lea a le alii Senatoa.

Na taua e Galeai, e tusa ai ma le tulafono ua pasia, o le faiga-malo ua taoto atu i ai le faatautaiga o le malo atoa o Amerika Samoa, ae afai ua le mafai e le faigamalo ona faatino ona tiute, e mafai e le Failautusi o le Initeria ona fesoasoani mai.

Na lagolagoina e le afioga i le alii Senatoa ia Lualemaga Faoa le finagalo o Galeai e uiga i le mataupu lenei, ma ia faatuina ai le fautuaina ina ia faaulu e le Senate se Iugafono, e talosagaina ai le faataunuuina o le finagalo o Galeai, ma talosagaina ai le Initeria ina ia fesoasoai mai i se taimi vave lava.

“Ua tatou manaomia se fesoasoani, e tatau foi ona tatou sailia se fofo o le faafitauli lea ua tulai mai,” o le saunoaga lea a Luale-managa, peitai na taua e nisi o sui o le Senate, e le tatau ona faatelevave se finagalo o le maota e talosagaina ai le Initeria o se fesoasoani.

Fai mai nisi Senatoa, afai e tupu lea tulaga, ua tau atu ai e Amerika Samoa i le Initeria, ua ia le mafai ona taitai ma tauave lona malo.

O le finagalo foi lea o le alii kovana ina ua fesiligia e se tasi o tootoo i luga o lana polokalame i le faaiuga o le vaiaso na tea nei, pe aisea e le talosagaina ai le Initeria mo se fesoasoani tau tupe mo Amerika Samoa, saunoa Togiola, afai e faia e le atunuu le mea lena, o lona uiga ua tau atu ai ua le mafa e le Samoa ona foia faafitauli ma taitai lona malo.

Feso’ota’i mai i le tusitala ia [email protected]

Te’ena Kovana $1.6 na pasia e le Fono mo le LBJ LaliLaliLaliLeLeLe

Thai-Swedish couple William Timhede, 23, left and Napatsawan Timhede, 39, are chased by an actor in pirate costume as part of an adventure-themed wedding ceremony in Prachinburi prov-ince, Thailand, Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, on the eve of Valentine’s Day. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)

TALA TALATALAmaiSAMOA

(Faaauau itulau 12)


tusia Ausage FausiaAARON wISdOM

O le aso 13 Mati lea ua faatulaga e fofogaina ai le uluai iloiloga o le mataupu faasaga i le alii o Aaron Wisdom i luma o le faamasinoga maua-luga, ina ua ia teena tuuaiga a le malo faasaga ia te ia i le taeao ananafi.

O Wisdom o loo tuuaia i lona umia faasoli-tulafono lea o mariuana, umia faasolitulafono o fana, atoa ai ma le umia faasolitulafono o pulu-fana, ona o le faalavelave lea na tulai mai i luga o le uafu tele i Fagatogo i le masina na tea nei, ina ua maua e alii Ofisa o le Tiute ni vaega o loo tuuaia o mariuana, fana ma pulufana na aumai faanana i totonu o se container e pei ona tuuaia ai e le malo le ua molia.

O loo tumau pea poloaiga o loo tatala ai le ua molia ina ua ia totogiina le tupe e $20,000 sa faatulaga e tatala ai o ia i tua mai le toese.

TETE’E LE Au GAOI PuSA wAHOO I LA MOLIAGA

Ua teena e alii e toalua ia o loo tuuaia e le malo i lo la gaoina lea o le silia i le 200 pusa wahoo mai le kamupani a le StarKist Samoa moliaga faasaga ia te i laua, ina ua la tutulai i luma o le faamasinoga maualuga i le taeao ananafi. I lo la teena ai o tuuaiga a le malo, ua faatulaga ai loa a laua uluai iloiloga e faia lea i le aso 12 Mati.

O le aso Faraile na tea nei na faatulaga e faia ai le uluai iloiloga a i laua nei i luma o le alii faamasino ia John Ward II, peitai sa lei faataun-uuina lea iloiloga ina ua la faaagafua a laua aia faaletulafono, ma la manatu ai e tuu sa’o atu loa a la mataupu i luma o le faamasinoga maualuga e faaauau ai a laua iloiloga, poo le faia foi lea o se latou maliliega ma le malo ma faamuta ai loa le mataupu e pei ona tuuaia ai i laua.

O Leota o loo tuuaia i le talepe fale ma le gaoi, ae o Leatigaga o loo tuuaia i le gaoi ma lona taliaina o ni oloa sa ave faagaoi.

Fai mai le malo, o le alii o Leatigaga na tale-peina le fale teu oloa a le kamupani ma ia aveesea mai ai le silia i le 200 pusa wahoo, ma tuu atu i luga o le taavale a Leota, ma la agai atu ai loa ua faatau i nisi o faleoloa i le atunuu, e pei ona tuuaia ai e le malo.

Fai mai le malo, e silia i le 100 pusa wahoo na mafai ona toe maua e leoleo mai pusa o loo tuuaia

i laua nei na o la ave faagaoiina. O loo taofia pea i le toese i Tafuna i laua nei ina ua le mafai ona la totogiina le tupe sa faatulaga e tatala ai i laua i tua.

LILOMAIAVA SA’OLOTOGAO le alii lea ua tausala e le faamasinoga maua-

luga i le moliaga mama o le faaoolima i le tulaga tolu, ona o le faalavelave lea na taina ai se isi alii i se fagupia i le nofoaga sa i ai le fale kalapu ua tapunia nei o le Rubbles Tavern i le tausaga na tea nei, ua ia talosaga i le faamasinoga ina ia aua nei lokaina o ia i le toese, ae ia faanofovaavaaia o ia, ona o le toese e le o se nofoaga lelei lea mo ia.

O le vaiaso na tea nei na faatulaga e lauina ai le faasalaga a le alii o Lilomaiava Sa’olotoga, peitai o lea ua toe tolopo e le faamasino sili ia Michael Kruse le tuuina atu o se faasalaga a le faamasinoga, ae ua ia poloaina le Ofisa Faanofo-vaavaaia ina ia tapena se ripoti, ona o loo faateia le faamasinoga i le manatu fai mai e le matuia tele lea mataupu.

O le aso 16 Mati lea ua faatulaga e lau ai le faasalaga a Saolotoga, lea o loo tatalaina pea i tua i lalo o tuutuuga mai le faamasinoga e tatau ona usitai i ai.

Na talosaga le loia a Saolotoga o Ruth Risch-Fuatagavi i le faamasinoga ina ia faanofovaavaaia le ua molia. Fai mai le tamaitai loia fautua, o le ua molia, o se tama e toatolu lana fanau ma ua silia ma le 10 tausaga o faigaluega o ia, talu ona malaga mai ma lona aiga i le teritori e nonofo ai, peitai na faailoa e le loia a le malo o Cecilia Reyna e faapea, e ao i le faamasinoga ona silasila totoa i le tulaga matuia o manu’a na aafia ai le alii na manu’a i lenei faalavelave.

Fai mai le loia a le malo, e 30 filo sa mana’omia e su’i ai le manu’a sa aafia ai le alii na manu’a ona o le gaioiga a le ua molia, ui o lea, o le a taoto atu pea i se faasalaga e manatu le faamasinoga e talafeagai i lenei mataupu.

E tusa ai ma faamaumauga a le faamasinoga o loo taua ai e faapea, o le vevesi na tulai mai ina ua iloa e le ua molia o le alii sa manu’a na ia aveeseina fagupia mai luga o le latou laulau ma ana uo.


VAEGA 115O Emani le tama lona lua, e le o ano ane lava ia i se mea e fai, pau lava le tulaga na i ai ia, o le

alo atu lea i lana su’ega lea e mafai ai ona malaga i Niu Sila mo a’oa’oga mo le ono masina. E le i ta’uina e Emani le tulaga lea i lona tama, ona ua ia iloa lelei, se i taunu’u manuia ane le malaga a lona tina ona ta’u lea i ai. O le isi itu sa manatu i ai le tama, ia fa’atalitali se i maua mai le fa’aiuga o le su’ega pe manuia pe leai.

O le fale telefoni o lo’o galue ai Emani, ma o se tama e fa’amoemoe i ai galuega uma a lea matagaluega a le malo. O lona poto masani i ona tiute, ona ua leva ona galue i totonu o le Mataga-luega lea a le Malo, fa’atasi ai ma ana a’oa’oga na maua mai i ali’i papalagi na malaga mai i Ni’u Sila, lea ua maua ai e Emani le isi atamai e sili atu na i lo le tulaga sa i ai muamua. O mea uma o lenei olaga, o a’oa’oga uma lava, ma o mea fo’i ia na foa’i mai e le Atua, ia o tatou iloa ona tausi lelei, ma sa’ili’ili pea, ina ia o tatou iloa ai nisi fuafuaga lelei mo i tatou lava.

O le tama o Eteuati lea e alu ma fai i tagata o lona igoa o ‘Cindyrose’ ua sili atu ona faigata i le faitau a le toeaina o Lameko. Ua fiu e tau gagau le amio fa’a’afa’afa a Eteuati, ae ua le mafai lava. O aso na tu’ua ai e Tagiilima i a Lameko ma le la fanau tama, o aso uma ia na iloa ai e le toeaina o Lameko uiga ia o lona atali’i, ua ta mau ai nei i le loto o le toeaina, ona o le tele o taimi e maua ai e Lameko ia Eteuati o fai ona ofu teine, ma fai ana siva i totonu o lona potu. O le isi itu ua mautinoa ai e le toeaina, ona ua i ai tagata ua o latou ta’ua, o Eteuati o lo’o feiloa’i ma lona uso la’ititi o Lipine. Ua matua Lipine, ae o mea uma sa ia faia a’o talavou, lea ua maua e Eteuati (Cindy Rose) na te tauaveina. Ua sauni nei mo le tauvaga fa’afafine, ua fai le tonu a Queen Charlotte (Lipine)

American Samoa

www.islandfuneralservice.com

Island Funeral Services Island Funeral Services Island Funeral Services “Lean on Us in Your

Time of Need”

Office: 699-2384 Fax: 699-2108 Home: 699-6803 Mobile: 733-3201

FOR ALL YOUR FUNERAL NEEDS!!!

24 Hour Services

in Nu’uuli

Call for more info. 731-7136 • 731-2053

Specializing in Fence Trimming, Rubbish Moving, Landscaping,

Tree Trimming and More!

SISDAC Tree Trimmers & Landscaping

Subsidiary of EAST & WEST LANDSCAPING

Nana’s Nana’s C O M P A N Y



Need a Cement Mixer for your construction project? Well, Nana’s company has Cement Mixer for Rent at very affordable daily rates.

$70/Daily Rate and $20/Delivery Fee (1-time). For more details, please call

633-5088/770-3462/733-9383/733-0888 or visit our office at Pago Pago going towards Fagasa.

For more details, please call 633-5088/770-3462/733-9383/733-0888 or visit our office at Pago Pago going towards Fagasa.

Nana’s company is pleased to announce the reopening of its Loan Finance program for that

family emergency fa’alavelave.

For more details, please call 633-5088/770-3462/733-9383/733-0888 or visit our office at Pago Pago going towards Fagasa.

1. Security 4. Construction 2. Janitorial 5. Loan Finance 3. Landscaping 6. Cement Mixer

Nana’s company offers the following commercial services at very affordable rates:

“THE SOURCE” Heavy Equipment, Truck & Part Sales.

Generators & Part Sales Hydraulic Parts /Filter Sales.

Call Doug Harrington Office {684} 699-8735 Cell 258-2505

Email: [email protected]

ALOFAFA’AvAe Ai AigA

(Faaauau itulau 12)

tusia Ausage FausiaTEENA SENATE PILI

FAASALA AI SPONSORUa teena e le maota maualuga le pili na pasia

e le maota o sui, e faasala ai sponsor o tagata mai fafo ia ua ova aso o aumau i totonu o le teritori.

O le faaiuga a le maota o sui e pasia ai lenei tulafono i lona faitauga faatolu, na faia lea ina ua maea ona fesiligia le loia sili ma le Pule o le Ofisa o Femalagaaiga, i ni aafiaga o loo i ai tulafono tau femalagaaiga ona o tagata mai fafo, o molimau lava foi ia s fesiligia e le komiti a le Senate i le taimi na o latou iloiloina ai lenei tulafono.

Sa faailoa e le Loia Sili ia Fepuleai A. Ripley ma Ufuti Ieremia i luma o le maota o sui e faapea, e silia i le 1,000 le aofai o tagata mai fafo ua ova aso o loo i ai pea i le teritori, peitai i le la molimau i luma o le Senate i le lua vaiaso talu ona maea le la molimau i luma o le maota o sui, sa la taua ai e faapea, e i le va o le 800 ma le 1,000 le aofai o tagata mai fafo ua ova aso o loo aumau pea i le teritori, ma o le toatele o i latou ia o tagata mai Upolu ma Savaii.

Ana faapea e pasia e le fono le pili lenei ma saini e le kovana, soo se tagata mai fafo lava e ova aso e aumau ai i le teritori, e $10 i le aso mo aso uma e ova ai o le a faasala ai le sponsor pe afai o se tagatanuu, ae afai o le sponsor o se kamupani, e $100 i le aso mo aso uma e ova ai le tagata e faasala ai.

O le tupe e maua mai i le tulafono lenei pe ana faapea e pasia, na faamoemoe e fesoasoani i le fausiaina o galuega tetele i totonu o le atunuu.

Saunoa Ufuti i luma o le komiti a le Senate e faapea, o tagata mai fafo ia e tele ina ova aso i le teritori, o tagata sa sponsor e tagatanuu o le teritori, ua uma loa le pemita e 30 aso na malaga mai ai, ona sui loa lea o le nofoaga e aumau ai, ma faigata ai i le Ofisa ona tau saili i latou nei.

TEENA kOVANA PILI FONO FAASOASOA AI PAkETI A LE ASPA MO LE ISI 6 MASINA

E lei nofo lelei i finagalo o le fono le tusi a le kovana lea na o latou taulimaina i le taeao ananafi, lea ua faailoa mai ai e kovana Togiola Tulafono lona teena o le latou pili lea na pasia, e faasoasoa atu ai le aofai e $60,373,010 e faatupe ai gaioiga a le Faalapotopotoga o le Malosi Faaeletise ma le Suavai mo le isi ono masina.

Saunoa Togiola i lana tusi i le aso 9 Fepuari i taitai o le fono e faapea, o le tulafono lea ua latou pasia e ono aafia ai nisi vaega tupe e ono maua e le ASPA e faatino ai ana tautua, pe afai o lea ua latou manatu e faatapulaa tupe maua, atoa ai ma le tuuina atu o nisi tupe e lei faasoasoa mai i le tulafono lea e toe faasoasoa mai e le fono.

Fai mai le alii kovana, o se tasi o itu e tatau ona faamanino, o tulaga e le o maua ai se toafilemu

i le va o le fono ma le ASPA, poo ai tonu e i ai le malosi e pasia ai le paketi a le ASPA, poo le komiti faafoe poo le fono.

Saunoa Togiola, o le pili lea na pasia mai e le Fono, e le o atagia mai ai tulaga feteenai e pei ona ia taua, ae ua foliga mai o le fono e i ai le malosi i luga i le paketi a le ASPA, ma o lea tulaga e tete’e ai foi o ia.

Na taua e Togiola e faapea, o le tulafono 15.0101 (a) na pasia ma faatulai ai le ASPA o se lala o le malo, ona manaomia lea o le ASPA ina ia tapena lana paketi faale tausaga, o se vaega lea o le fuafuaga a le alii kovana mo le paketi, e pei ona taua mai i le vaega o le tulafono 15.0107, e ui o le vaega o le tulafono 15.0104 (5) o loo taua ai le tuu atu o le malosi i le komiti faafoe a le ASPA e pasia ai lana paketi.

Na faaiu le tusi a le kovana i lona faafetaia lea o le fono e tusa ai o le galuega fita sa latou feagai ai, i le tau sailiina lea o se auala e foia ai le faafitauli e pei ona tulai mai i le va o le fono ma le ASPA.

SAPASAPAIA E LE kOVANA PILI uA PASIA E LE FONO

E ui e lei taunuu i le ofisa o le alii kovana le pili lea ua ia maua tala ua pasia e le Fono Faitula-fono, e faasa ai ona faapipii nisi moli lanu eseese i luma o taavale, ina ia suia ai moli na aumai ai le taavale mai le kamupani sa faatau mai ai, peitai ua faalauiloa e Togiola Tulafono i luga o lana polokalame i le faaiuga o le vaiaso na tea nei lona sapasapaia o lea tulafono, ma ua ia sauni foi e saini i le taimi e taunuu atu ai i lona ofisa.

O le vaiaso na tea nei na tauaao atu ai e le fono faitulafono lenei tulafono i luga o le ofisa o le alii kovana, i le maea ai lea ona pasia e le maota o sui o le pili a le Senate.

O le agaga o le tulafono, ia faasa ona faaaoga nisi lava ituaiga moli lanu eseese i luma o taavale, e ese mai i moli sa fausia mai ai le taavale.

Na taua e se tina matua i luga o le poloka-lame a le alii kovana lona faanoanoa tele ina ua malaga atu e faatau i le faaiuga o le vaiaso na tea nei, ae la fetaui ai ma se taavale o loo faapipii mai ai moli e pei ona taua, ma, talu ai o le sesega o lana vaai i le auala, na faatu lelei ai lana taavale ae sei pasi le taavale lea ona toe alu lea.

Saunoa le alii kovana, o le isi lea faafitauli ua toatele le atunuu e faasea atu ai, o taavale e faaaoga moli sesega aemaise lava i le taimi o le po.

Sa ia taua foi, e le o iloa e le ave taavale o le taavale lea e felanulanua’i moli ituaiga tala eseese ma le mau igoa o loo faaigoa ai o ia e tagata, pe a oo i le taimi e pasi atu ai lana taavale, ae i ai lona talitonuga e muliga igoa na i le mau igoa ia o loo faaigoa ai e le isi vaega le kovana.



atoa ai ma le anoanoa’i o isi lava tulaga tau tupe a le malo.“Tele naua mataupu eseese e le o malamalama i ai le maota, e

le gata o tulaga tau tupe, ae o lea foi ua tulai mai le faafitauli a le falemai,” o le saunoaga lea a le alii kovana.

Na faailoa e Gaoteote i le maota e faapea, o le $3 miliona lea na maua mai a le Fono mai le nonogatupe $20 miliona e toe fausia ai se fale fono fou, ua faaaoga e faamaea ai le Ofisa fou a le fono lea o loo faagasolo i le taimi nei, ina ua le lava le tupe na tuuina mai i le malo e fausia ai lea galuega.

Saunoa Gaoteote, sa tuuina atu se talosaga a le fono i le kovana mo se isi vaega tupe mai le ARRA e faamaea ai le galuega, peitai sa lei talia le talosaga, ma faaaoga ai loa le tupe a le fono. O le taimi nei, pe a ma le toe $2.5 miliona o loo totoe a le Fono mai le latou tupe e $3 miliona e pei ona saunoa Gaoteote.

Na faamanino e le alii peresetene i luma o le maota e faapea, e leai se manatu e faatulai le SSIC ina ia suesue ai ni faiga faasaga i ni tagata poo ni taitai o le malo, ae o le agaga maualuga, ia mafai ona manino le maota i auala uma ma faatautaiga tau tupe a le malo.

“Aveese outou manatu le maota faapea o le SSIC e tulituli aupu ai se tagata pe sailiili masei ai foi i se tasi, o le agaga autu ua mafua ai ona ou manatu e faatulai le SSIC, ina ia faamanino ai mataupu o loo nenefu ai le maota,” o le saunoaga lea a Gaoteote.

Na toatele afioga i Senatoa na o latou vave lagolagoina le finagalo o le alii peresetene, ina ia faatulai loa le SSIC e faa-manino ai mataupu e pei ona tuu fesili i ai le fono.

O le tofa Velega Savali Jr na muamua faaali lona finagalo na te lagolagoina ai le faamoemoe lea, sosoo ai le afioga ia Luale-maga Faoa, Galeai Tuufuli, Paogofie Fiaigoa, Fuamatau J.V Fua-matu ma Fonoti Aufata.

Na pau popolega o nisi o Senatoa, e le tatau ona avea le ita o le fono i faaiuga ua aumai e le alii kovana ma itu ua a’e ai le manatu e faatulai loa le SSIC.

Saunoa le afioga i le alii Senatoa ia Lemanu Peleti Mauga, sa ia teena le manatu le faatulai le SSIC i le uluai taimi na faatoa tuuina atu ai i luma o le maota, peitai o le tele ai o lona nenefu i le tele o mataupu tau tupe faasaga i le malo, ASPA ma le Falema’i, ua mafua ai ona ia lagolagoina le manatu ua tatau loa ona faatulai le SSIC.

Saunoa Lemanu, o ia lea o le taitaifono o le komiti o le Paketi a le Senate, o le faafitauli faasaga i le malo na amata tulai mai i le ASPA, sosoo ai ma le kolisi tuu faatasi, peitai o lea ua oo atu i le falemai ma le talitonuga, e toe amata mai foi i le ASPA, kolisi tuu faatasi ma toe oo atu ai foi i le falemai i tausaga uma.

O se tasi o mataupu na suesue e le SSIC ma i’u atu ai i se taun-uuga manuia, o le tulaga i le faatauina atu o totoga o pasi aoga mai le Ofisa o Aoga a le malo, lea ua i’u ina molia ma tausalaina ai nisi sa umia tulaga sinia i le matagaluega o aoga a le malo, e aofia ai ma le susuga ia Paul Solofa, lea sa avea ma pule o le polokalame o le School Lunch, ina ua tausalaina o ia i moliaga o lona taumafai lea e faaleaga molimau a le malo, atoa ai ma lona taumafai e faalavelave i galuega a le faamasinoga.

O le vaiaso nei lea ua faamoemoe e toe tuuina atu ai i luma o le Senate la latou iugafono lea mo le faia i ai o se finagalo o le malo.

Saunoa Fonoti, e ui o se mataupu taua le SSIC, peitai o lona itu leaga, ona o le tausaga lenei o faiga palota, ma e ono aafia ai ma tulaga faapolokiki i le faatinoina o galuega a le komiti.


[samoaobserver.ws]FA’ASALA SE MATAI I LE FAIA

O NI FA’AMATALAGA E FA’ALEAGA AI SEISI MATAI

O se fa’ai’uga mai i le fa’amasinoga, ua ono avea ma lapata’iga i le feavea’i ma le faia o ni fa’amatalaga pepelo, e fa’aleaga ai seisi tagata, i totonu o nu’u ma afioaga.

Ua fa’asalaina le susuga Unasa Faapupula, se matai mai i le afioaga o Faga, ina ia ona totogia se tinoitupe e $8,000 (tupe Amerika), ona o lona faia o ni fa’amatalaga e fa’aleaga ai ia seisi o lea lava nu’u, le susuga Toala Tulouna Ropati.

E fa’apea le fa’amatalaga o lenei fa’alavelave, na fa’asea Unasa aga’i i matai o le nu’u ma ia ta’ua ai le faia e Toala o ni tulaga fa’aleulugali’i ma seisi fafine o le nu’u, ae peita’i, e leai ni fa’amaoniga a Unasa e lagolago ai ana fa’amatalaga.

Na fa’aalia e le sui o le RNZI, le susuga Autagavaia Tip Autagavaia, ua fa’aalia mai i lenei mata’upu, i’uga o tagata e fa’asalalau tala tau fa’aleaga, ae le fa’amaonia.

MALIu SE TAGATA FAIGALu- EGA I LuGA O LE uAFu

O le Aso To’ona’i na maliu ai se tamaloa e 35 tausaga, ina ua pa’u ai i luga se koneteina, i luga o le uafu i Matautu.

E tusa ai ma ripoti mai i vaega fa’asalalau, na ta’ua ai e fa’apea, o lenei ali’i e galue mo le Pacific Forum Line, ma sa maua atu lona tino maliu o lo o tanumia se vaega o lona tino i lalo o se koneteina.

O lo o i ai se talitonuga na tupu lenei fa’alavelave i se vaitaimi o le vaveao, a’o kilia se va’a la’u oloa.

O le ua maliu, o Ropati Auapaau Nu’upule mai i Maagiagi ma Manono.

[radio new zealand international]

ma Cindy Rose, o le a o e fa’aulu le ioga o Cindy Rose e alu ai i le tauvaaga, ma ua fa’apena lava ona fai.

Ina ua taunu’u ane le malaga a Tagiilima ma Loimata i lo latou aiga i le taulaga, na fa’amatalatala uma e le lo’omatua le tulaga na o’o i ai le talanoaga ma le feiloa’iga a lona aiga. E fai lava fa’amatalaga a le lo’omatua, ae ua na o le nofo o le teine o Loimata e le tautala, ua na o le fa’alogologo o ona taliga, a’o fa’amatala e lona tina le talanoaga a lona aiga i tua. E le i umi, ae fa’ateia Lameko ma lana fanau tama ina ua oso ane le tala a le teine, “Tama, ou te le toe fia o’o i le aiga o Tina. E ‘ese le fe’aina’i o tagata o lea aiga, e nonofo mai, a’o loto e fai fai loto o tagifa fea’i o le sami e le maua ia ituaiga loto.”

“Loimataoapaula, na o lou malolo lava, e le o ni mea ia e te tautala i ai. Se ua fiu fo’i e fa’atonu oe se, ai ana fa’atonu se tama’ipusi ua atamai, malolo la’ia, e sa ona e tautala mai i mea ia ma te talanoa ai ma lou tama. A e le fia alu i lo’u aiga, o lou lava lea faitalia. Ou te le toe tauanauina oe ta te o i lo’u aiga. E pule lava le tagata latou pe fia alu i tua pe leai. E tu’u atu i le loto faitalia o le tagata, ae maise ai o outou tama, a fai lava tou te fia o i lo’u aiga, ou te le taofia outou, ae a leai, ia e pule lava le tagata ia ma le ogasami e alo i ai si ona va’a, ae tau lava o lenei, ia outou iloa lelei a’u tala e lafo so’o atu ia te outou, o le tagata ma si ona aiga, aua e leai se tasi e tu fa’amauga i aso uma o lona olaga, ia outou manatua pea la’u upu lena.”

➧ Mana’o Senate e fa’avae…Mai itulau 1

➧ ALOFA: Fa’avae ai Aiga…Mai itulau 11

➧ TALA MAI SAMOA…Mai itulau 10


IVY V. TAUFA’ASAU Chief Procurement Officer

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) RFQ No: RFQ-049-2012

Issuance Date: February 1, 2012 Date & Time Due: February 15, 2012 No Later than 2:00pm local time

The American Samoa Government (ASG) issues a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) from qualified firms to provide:

“Tafuna Healing Center Project Construction”

Submission: Original and five copies of the Proposal must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked: “Tafuna Healing Center Project Construction” Submissions are to be sent to the following address and will be received until 2:00 p.m. (local time), Wednesday, February 15, 2012:

Office of Procurement American Samoa Government Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 Attn: Chief Procurement Officer

Any Statement of Qualifications received after the aforementioned date and time will not be accepted under any circumstances. Late submissions will not be opened or considered and will be determined as being non-responsive.

Document: The RFQ Scope of Work outlining the proposal requirements is available at The Office of Procurement, Tafuna, American Samoa, during normal working hours.

Review: Request for Qualification data will be thoroughly reviewed by an appointed Source Evaluation Board under the auspices of the Chief Procurement Officer, Office of Procurement, ASG.

Right of Rejection: The American Samoa Government reserves the right to reject any and/or all Qualification and to waive any irregularities and/or informalities in the submitted proposals that are not in the best interests of the American Samoa Government or the public.

American Samoa Government OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT

ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) -- President Barack Obama called on Congress Monday to create an $8 billion fund to train commu-nity college students for high-growth industries, giving a financial incentive to schools whose graduates are getting jobs.

The fund was part of Obama’s proposed budget for 2013. The overall package aims to achieve $4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade by restraining government spending and raising taxes on the wealthy, while boosting spending in some areas, including education. Obama warned Congress that blocking investments in education and other proposals in his budget would be standing in the way of “America’s comeback.”

“By reducing our deficit in the long term, what that allows us to do is to invest in the things that will help grow our economy right now,” Obama said during remarks at Northern Virginia Commu-nity College.

The White House says the “Community College to Career Fund” would train 2 million workers for jobs in potential growth areas such as electronic medical records and cyber security within sectors such as health care, transportation and advanced manufacturing.

A key component of the community college plan would insti-tute “pay for performance” in job training, meaning there would be financial incentives to ensure that trainees find permanent jobs - particularly for programs that place individuals facing the greatest hurdles getting work. It also would promote training of entrepreneurs, provide grants for state and local government to recruit companies, and support paid internships for low-income community college students.

Obama said community colleges needs resources to become community career centers where students can learn skills that local businesses need immediately. “This should be an engine of job growth all across the country, these community colleges, and that’s why we’ve got to support them,” Obama said.

Obama pointed to programs in Louisville, Ky., Charlotte, N.C., and Orlando, Fla., as good examples.

UPS overnight workers in Louisville get a tuition-and-book benefit at the University of Louisville or Jefferson Community and Technical College as part of a program designed to help the company recruit and retain workers. Central Piedmont Technical College in Charlotte created a two-year degree in mechatronics, which combines skills in mechanical, electrical and computer fields. In Orlando, Northrop Grumman has aggressively hired laser technicians who completed a program developed by Valencia Col-lege because of demand.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan told reporters on a confer-ence call that the specifics of the pay-for-performance aspect of the plan are still being hammered out, but it’s possible that about $500 million would go toward rewarding programs that success-fully place workers.

Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said in a statement that he’s “skep-tical” of the president’s plan, but that Republicans support the goal of modernizing federal job training programs. “The committee will give the president’s proposal the consideration it deserves,” Kline said.

But Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who chairs a subcommittee with jurisdiction over higher education matters, said the presi-dent’s proposal “does not solve problems,” and a better solution is to “evaluate the current federal jobs programs, make them more efficient and eliminate the totally inefficient ones.”

Even as the United States struggles to emerge from the eco-nomic downturn, there are high-tech industries with a shortage of workers. And it is anticipated there will be 2 million job openings in manufacturing nationally through 2018, mostly due to baby boomer retirement, according to the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. The catch is that these types of jobs frequently require the ability to operate complicated machinery and follow detailed instructions, as well as some exper-tise in subjects like math and statistics.

As costs at four-year colleges have soared, enrollments at community colleges have increased by 25 percent during the last decade and now top more than 6 million students, according to the American Institutes for Research. People with a one-year cer-tificate or two-year degree in certain career fields can earn higher salaries than those with a traditional college degree, said Anthony Carnevale, director of the center at Georgetown University.

Mark Schneider, the former U.S. commissioner of education statistics who now serves as vice president at the American Insti-tutes for Research, said there’s no doubt that high-tech companies need skilled workers. But he said there are challenges with leaning heavily on community colleges. Many students enter community colleges lacking math skills. The sophisticated equipment needed for training is expensive, and there’s little known about the effec-tiveness of individual community colleges programs across the country, he said.

Obama promotes job training at

community college

African penguin Howard carries a valentine heart written by a visitor to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)


ASPA by ASCA 13.0102(11). This provision of the law pro-

vides that ASPA “may borrow money and incur indebtedness of capital improvements and may... hypothecate and give security interests in... earned revenue to secure such indebt-edness,” he wrote.

“Existing law allows ASPA to secure debt with earned rev-enue, while the proposed bill requires any revenue collected by ASPA in excess of that which is projected by the bill — including earned revenue — be subject to appropria-tion,” the governor wrote.

Without modification to ASCA 13.0102(11), approval of this bill would “create an irresolvable conflict”, he said.

Additionally, ASPA would retain the authority to pledge earned revenue to secure debt, but simultaneously be required to remit for appropriation all revenue in excess of that pro-jected in the bill. “This conflict alone provides sufficient jus-tification to veto this bill,” he points out.

ASPA bOARd AuTHORITy

“However, what must be acknowledged is that there are conflicts in the existing laws which make determining whether the ASPA board of directors or the Legislature has ultimate authority over ASPA’s budget a difficult question to answer definitively,” he said.

“The bill as presented ignores these conflicts and presumes that Legislature has plenary authority over ASPA’s budget. This does not comport with the law and so I object to it as well,” he points out.

The governor also explained that ASPA is established within the executive branch as a semi autonomous agency and it is required by law to prepare

an annual budget as part of the governor’s budget process.

However, another provision of the law — ASCA 15.0104(5) — mandates that the ASPA board approve the annual budget of the authority, while other provisions of the law ASCA 15.0106(a)(b) grants the Legislature the ability to pro-vide “supplemental funding by appropriation,” — which may be in the form of interesting bearing loans — for ASPA’s operation and capital improve-ments, the governor points out.

“The law explicitly grants the ASPA board authority to approve the ASPA’s annual budget and allows the Legis-lature only to provide supple-mental funding,” he said. “To correctly assert that the Legis-lature has authority to approve ASPA’s annual budget one must reconcile the general grant of authority that the Legislature has over the budgets of other ASG departments and agencies... with specific grant authority designated to the ASPA board by ASCA 15.0104(5),” the gov-ernor notes.

Moreover, in delineating the Legislature’s authority, the governor points to Article II, Section 1, subparagraph (c) of the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, which limits legislative appropriations to “revenues raised pursuant to tax laws and other revenue laws of American Samoa.”

“Revenue collected by ASPA cannot rightfully be characterized as ‘raised pur-suant to tax laws’ nor are they raised pursuant to enact-

ments of the Legislature,” he explained. “Whether ASPA’s rates and charges are encom-passed as part of the ‘revenue laws of American Samoa’ is debatable.”

“What should be well settled and therefore less debatable and what should be respected, is the high degree of autonomy granted to ASPA by law,” the governor said. “ASPA, while moored to the American Samoa Government, is finan-cially self-sustaining via the revenue it generates through the rates and fees it charges for utility services.”

“Both the governor and the Legislature have duties and authority over appointments of the ASPA board,” he said, adding that once appointed the ASPA board’s duty is to “exer-cise all... powers... reasonably necessary to the administra-tion, management and opera-tion of the authority” in accor-dance with ASCA 15.0104(8).

If the Executive or the Leg-islature acts to administer or manage ASPA, it “usurps the authority” of the ASPA board, violating both the letter and the intent of ASCA Title 15 — which deals with ASPA, the governor concluded.

At this point, ASPA con-tinues its operations under its own budget of $118.47 million for FY 2012 — which is the information ASPA provided to lawmakers last month, saying that this budget was approved by the board.


LAND COMMISSION NOTICE is hereby given that LEAUKUAIA MEAUTA JR. MAGEO, NIKOLAO A. MAGEO, & CARL

SU’A SCHUSTER, Family Members of Mageo Family of PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, has executed a LEASE AGREEMENT to a certain parcel of land commonly known as VAITU which is situated in the village of PAGO PAGO, in the County of MA’OPUTASI, EASTERN District, Island of Tutuila, American Samoa. Said LEASE AGREEMENT is now on file with the Territorial Registrar to be forwarded to the Governor respecting his approval or disapproval thereof according to the laws of American Samoa. Said instrument names TAOTAO LEOTA & FATU TOALA as LESSEES.

Any person who wish, may file his objection in writing with the Secretary of the Land Commission before the 9TH day of APRIL, 2012. It should be noted that any objection must clearly state the grounds therefor.

POSTED: FEBRUARY 8, 2012 thru APRIL 9, 2012 SIGNED: Taito S. B. White, Territorial Registrar

KOMISI O LAU’ELE’ELE O LE FA’ASALALAUGA lenei ua faia ona o LEAUKUAIA MEAUTA JR. MAGEO, NIKOLAO A

MAGEO, & CARL SU’A SCHUSTER, Family Members of Mageo Family ole nu’u o PAGO PAGO, Amerika Samoa, ua ia faia se FEAGAIGA LISI, i se fanua ua lauiloa o VAITU, e i le nu’u o PAGO PAGO i le itumalo o MA’OPUTASI, Falelima i SASA’E ole Motu o TUTUILA Amerika Samoa. O lea FEAGAIGA LISI ua i ai nei i teuga pepa ale Resitara o Amerika Samoa e fia auina atu ile Kovana Sili mo sana fa’amaoniga e tusa ai ma le Tulafono a Amerika Samoa. O lea mata’upu o lo’o ta’ua ai TAOTAO LEOTA & FATU TOALA.

A iai se tasi e fia fa’atu’i’ese i lea mata’upu, ia fa’aulufaleina mai sa na fa’atu’iesega tusitusia ile Failautusi o lea Komisi ae le’i o’o ile aso 9 o APELILA, 2012. Ia manatua, o fa’atu’iesega uma lava ia tusitusia manino mai ala uma e fa’atu’iese ai. 02/14 & 03/14/12

FINAL BEE PRACTICES All Spelling Bee Contestants

Date: Friday, Feb. 24 & Monday, Feb. 27, 2012 Time: 3:00 p.m. Place: South Pacific Academy All individual school winners come prepared to practice and have your picture taken for your ad in Samoa News if you haven’t done so already! Bee coordinator, Evelyn Lili’o Satele will explain how the Bee works and answer any questions you might have. Bee there!

Call Evelyn at 699-9845/770-9300 if you have any questions. Spelling Bee Date: Wednesday, Feb 29, 2012

➧ Gov. vetoes ASPA supplemental budget…Continued from page 1

Magnitude-5.6 quake strikes rural California

HOOPA VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION, Calif. (AP) -- A moderate earthquake struck Northern California’s coast Monday afternoon, rattling nerves around the Oregon border but yielding no immediate reports of major injuries or damage, officials said.

The magnitude-5.6 quake struck at 1:07 p.m. about 18 miles inland in an unincorporated part of Humboldt County, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was a rural area near the small community of Weitchpec on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, about 240 miles north of San Francisco and about 60 miles south of the Oregon border. The temblor was widely felt within a 100-mile radius, according to the USGS website.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department and Eureka Police Department sent deputies and officers to check on resi-dents, but dispatchers said there were no immediate reports of emergencies. Things also seemed fine on the Hoopa reservation, according to Byron Nelson Jr., the tribe’s vice chairman.

“It was just a mild shaking. It wasn’t a sharp jerk,” said Sgt. Gene McManus of the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Department, a neighboring agency that also saw no immediate problems.

Children’s building blocks tumbled at Weitchpec Elementary School, but the staff and students took the shaking in stride.

Kate Lowry, the school’s sole teacher, told The Associated Press in a phone interview that she, her aide and the 19 children fol-lowed their earthquake drill procedure and filed out of the building.

At nearby Pearson’s Grocery Store, Karen Pearson watched cans fall off the shelves as a man yelled for people to get out.

Seismologists say the far-northern coast of California is the most seismically active area in the state, but the potential for damage and injuries there is smaller because it’s less populated.

The most damaging earthquake in recent years occurred near Eureka on Jan. 9, 2010, when a magnitude-6.5 temblor caused more than $40 million in damage and one serious injury - an elderly woman who fell and broke her hip. It was followed a month later with a magnitude-5.9 quake in the same region that caused much less damage.


Furthermore, the administration has sub-mitted bills in the past that were corrected and/or amended in committee, said Togiola, who points out that this is one of the purposes of multiple readings and hearings in the Fono.

This $10 million proposal, even if submitted with the outdated language, could easily have been corrected in either of these established, institutional legislative forms, he said.

The governor agreed with and supported the Constitutional provision, which was pointed out by Gaoteote that laws should not be amended or revised by reference. However, for this partic-ular proposal, Togiola said each amended code section was set forth with changes marked.

It is clear that the intent was not to amend or revise any law by reference, as each of the coded sections that were amended were set forth. “Unfortunately, one of the sections was outdated — something which could have been fixed easily and painless [sic] in light of the crisis before us,” he said.

The governor went on to point out another Constitutional provision (R.C.A.S. Art. II, Sec. 9), which states that “The governor may propose legislation to the Legislature ‘for consideration by it’,” and noted that “I have submitted leg-islation to the Fono. Whether the legislation is faulty or imperfect, this Constitutional provision requires that the whole Fono consider it.”

“Your refusal to even introduce this proposal directly frustrates this Constitutional Executive

privilege, which is granted in the Legislative article of our Constitution,” said Togiola.

“Consequently, I am hopeful that you will reconsider our position on this, as well as future bills that come from the Executive, especially where the solution is one that need not implicate the supreme law of the land,” he said.

Nevertheless, the governor said he is con-fident that “we can and will work together to resolve many, if not all of the challenges that lie ahead of this government”. He also said that the health care needs of the territory are at risk at this time.

Copies of the letter were sent to House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale and to all senators.

dISSOLVING THE LbJ MEdICAL CENTER AuTHORITy bILL

In the House yesterday, the administration bill to return the hospital back to the government — under the jurisdiction of the Health Department — was introduced and assigned to the House Health/LBJ Committee for review. No date set for a hearing yet.

The bill’s preamble states that the hospital has chosen to adopt increased fees at LBJ and the fees charged to residents are far in excess of what families can afford, given that the average income per capital in the territory is about $8,000.

Additionally, the population of the territory, because of the prevalence of chronic disease and the high cost of off island health care, are in critical need of the services and prescription medication provided by LBJ.

The “Executive is committed to finding a resolution to the short term and long term causes of current shortage of funds” for LBJ operations, it says, adding that there is currently before the Fono an administration bill seeking $10 million in revenue from ASG to provide much needed off island medical care to local residents.

The current increase of fees to be paid at LBJ “represents a clear emergency that affects the private and public health of all residents of the territory that must be dealt with swiftly,” it says.

The bill amends current statute dealing with the Medical Center, where the hospital will be an agency of the Health Department, whose execu-tive director will oversee this entity instead of a board of directors. Also to be deleted is the post of Chief Executive Officer, while no changes are proposed being made to current personnel, including the Chief Financial Officer.

In order to deal with urgent medical care issues for the territory, and owing to the increase in fees at the medical center, this act is effec-tive immediately upon passage by the Fono and approved by the governor, according to the bill.


American Samoa

Well being Zone! Well being Zone! Well being Zone!

Come get the treatment you deserve... call now and find out mor e 688-1999

Located in Puapua Near the Calvary Temple

Massage To Go Massage To Go Massage To Go

Gift Certificates Now Available!

VALENTINES DAY SPECIAL “Couples Massage” or you can bring a friend!

SAME TIME-SAME DAY - ONLY $100! Call today for your reservations or pick up a Gift Certificate for that special someone.

F a g a t o g o S q u a r e S h o p p i n g C e n t e r T H E P L A C E T O D O B U S I N E S S

RETAIL & OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

“OCEANVIEW”

Call (684) 633-4200 or (684) 252-7092

ISLAND BREEZE ISLAND BREEZE ISLAND BREEZE PURIFIED WATER

Fagaalu across from Matafao Ele. School Tel: 633-7038 or 633-7685 5 Gal. delivered to your home, business or office!

Refill 1 GALLON - 5 GALLON

HONG KONG HOUSE Nu’uuli 699-8983

Thank You For Your Support! Senior & Military

10% OFF

FOR SALE • Ice Maker • Steak Grill • Walk-In Freezer • Walk-In Cooler • Commercial Meat Cutter

• Commercial Sink & Stove • 40 qt. flour mixer, Aluminum Glass Windows,

Ceramic Tiles and Air Conditioner

A ll N ew Call 733-3368

The statue entitled Unconditional Surrender stands tall in the parkway along the waterfront Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 in San Diego. The statue, which was modeled after a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt taken in Times Square on V-J Day at the end of World War II, is schedule to be moved at the end of the month. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

states hire teachers and police, rescue and fire department workers. Republicans in Congress, opposed to further stimulus spending, have blocked these proposals in the past.

The Obama budget seeks $360 billion in savings in Medicare and Medicaid mainly through reduced payments to health care pro-viders, avoiding tougher measures advocated by House Republicans and the deficit commis-sions, which supporters said were critical to the cause of restraining health care costs.

The projections in Obama’s budget show that he is doing little to restrain the surge in these programs that is expected with the retire-ment of baby boomers. Obama’s budget proj-ects that Medicare spending will double over the coming decade from $478 billion this year to almost $1 trillion in 2022.

Medicaid, the government health care pro-gram for the poor and disabled, would more than double from $255 billion this year to $589 billion by 2022.

➧ Obama’s budget…Continued from page 7

➧ Funding off-island medical referral programContinued from page 1

C M

Y K

C M

Y K


C M

Y K

C M

Y K

news_02-14-2012

Documents