LBJ HR system dysfunctional for many years, says hospital chief

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1 Buckle up! Fatalities CraSHES LOCAL HIGHWAYS to date office of highway safety LOCAL HIGHWAYS to date AP Source Mike Iupati s injured knee is not torn B1 ASCC Student Government Association Secretary Anna Sewell (left) and Treasurer Visa Vaiau will attend the National Center for Student Leadership fall 2013 conference this weekend in New Orleans. Approximately 700 student leaders from across the nation will attend the conference where what they learn will allow them to return to their schools better equipped to contribute to their campus and to their communities. Read story inside today s issue. [photo: J. Kneubuhl] samoanews.com C Y M K Sauni Lolo faamalosia nisi fautuaga mo le Ofisa Aoga 10 Daily Circulation 7,000 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA Thursday, November 21, 2013 $1.00 Some employees may have to return OT pay DHR found they were not entitled using the Three-Test for exemption by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent Some government employees who received overtime payment under the agreement between ASG and the U.S. Department of Labor were not entitled to such payments, according to DHR Director Sonny Thompson, and the Department of Human Resources has not yet reached a decision on whether to go back and collect this money from the affected employees. This was revealed by the DHR Director during his power point presentation at Tuesday s cabinet meeting, when he was talking about hiring practices and overtime issues such as those who are exempt from being paid overtime. USDOL reported in August this year that ASG had paid $916,093 in back wages to 256 employees, most of them police officers with the Department of Public Safety. According to USDOL, investigators had found that some employees overtime hours were paid at a straight-time rate instead of at one and one-half times their regular rates of pay, as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. During the cabinet meeting, Thompson shared information on the Three-Test for exemption to determine those employees who are not entitled to overtime. The first test eliminates individuals with a minimum salary level of $380 per week or above. It used to be at $455 a week, but it has been reduced by the federal [government] because of our minimum wage, he said and stressed that anyone who makes $380 or more a week is considered exempt and... that means they are not eligible for overtime. (Continued on page 14) LBJ HR system dysfunctional for many years, says hospital chief Millions of dollars wasted on overpaying top positions by Joyetter Feagaimaali i-luamanu Samoa News Reporter LBJ Medical Center has a dysfunctional HR system and one of the biggest problems at the hospital is the high rate of absenteeism, said Joseph Davis Fleming, the LBJ Medical Center Chief Executive Officer. This information was revealed in response to Samoa News questions regarding some of the hospital s top management positions that are still vacant. Fleming has been wearing several hats for the last few months, aside from being the CEO filling in, while looking for qualified personnel. Currently he is Acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Acting Director for Human Resources (HR), and Acting Director of Health Information Systems (HIS). He also served as the Grants Administrator at one time, but has recently hired Mick McCuddin to fill the position. According to Fleming, McCuddin has worked for the territory in past years and will be giving LBJ his considerable expertise in this area. He said the hospital lost millions of dollars because there was no one in this important position to secure funding for current health care programs or to attain more funding for new programs. The LBJ CEO told Samoa News he ll also be bringing in a new management team of experts in the area of Human Resources, explaining that the hospital s workforce is large and yet there s only four people working in that department, which has created a dysfunctional human resources situation. He said data processing and the manual system are both filled with errors. Fleming said right now the management team is wasting time trying to fix the system instead of working to better the system. He also said numerous errors in the HR system are in violation of labor laws, due to the ineffective management of the hospital workforce. People wonder why there are problems, because we (the hospital) don t do a good job with training and again in violation of federal laws it puts the hospital at risk if Human Resources problems are not fixed. We ve been sanctioned by the federal government almost every year because of these violations, and eventually the feds will be tired of seeing the same mistakes repeated over and over... they will not take us seriously anymore. Fleming said the hospital has hired Dr. Akenese Pula Mutini as Assistant Director of (Continued on page 14) C Y M K Members of the United States Marine Corps based in Hawai i were seen exercising at the malae in Fagatogo yesterday. They said that they were here on island to pay their respects to fellow fallen Marine, Corporal Sivasa Kristian Kaleopa, who died this year on November 3, with the funeral set for today. [photo: Jeff Hayner]

2 Page 2 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 NOW SERVING BREAKFAST & Lunch MON-SAT From 7am - 2pm Oasis for Fine Dining monday-saturday 5pm to 9pm happy hour from 4:30pm to 9pm with free pupus! private party & banquet rooms available bar & restaurant MON thru SAT 7AM-2AM Located in Samoa SportS BuiLding, airport rd MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel On Dec. 2, 1777, legend has it that Philadelphia housewife and nurse Lydia Darragh singlehandedly saves the lives of Gen. George Washington and his Continental Army. She made notes when she overheard the British planning a surprise attack and got them to Washington. On Dec. 6, 1921, The Irish Free State, comprising four-fifths of Ireland, is declared, ending a five-year Irish struggle for independence from Britain. The Irish Free State was renamed Eire, and is now called the Republic of Ireland. On Dec. 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, bringing an end to the prohibition of alcohol. Prohibition did little more than slow the flow of booze, and bootleggers like Al Capone built criminal empires out of illegal distribution. On Dec. 4, 1945, the U.S. Senate approves U.S. participation in the United Nations. The U.N. allowed world leaders to observe each other as never before, as in the 1961 incident when Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev presented a spectacle by pounding his table with his shoe for emphasis during a U.N. debate. On Dec. 3, 1979, the last Pacer rolls off the assembly line at the American Motors Corp. (AMC) factory. In 1975, the ads said, When you buy any other car, all you end up with is today s car. When you get a Pacer, you get a piece of tomorrow. Today polls and experts agree: The Pacer was one of the worst cars of all time. On Dec. 7, 1982, the first execution by lethal injection takes place at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. Charles Brooks, Jr., convicted of murdering an auto mechanic, received an intravenous injection of sodium pentothal, the barbiturate that is known as a truth serum when administered in lesser doses. by Joyetter Feagaimaali i-luamanu Samoa News Reporter MAN WHO TOOK $3 RELEASED AFTER SERVING 322 DAYS IN JAIL A man accused of taking three dollars from a 14-year-old s pocket, and who pled guilty to attempted-stealing, was released from jail on Tuesday after serving 322 days over one year behind bars. The government first charged Kennedy Sasala with second-degree robbery, misdemeanor stealing and public peace disturbance, but in a plea agreement with the government he pled guilty to attempted stealing, which was amended from second-degree robbery, while the remaining charges were dismissed. Sasala apologized for violating the law and asked the court for a second chance. Defense Counsel had agreed with Prosecutor Julie Pasquale to place the defendant on probation on condition that Sasala not consume any alcohol while on probation. However, Pasquale asked the court to have Sasala remain in custody until this holiday season is over, saying there would be a lot of temptation for Sasala to consume alcohol during the holidays. Chief Justice Michael Kruse sentenced the defendant to five years in jail however the sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation for five years under certain conditions. Kruse said the victim was given $30 from his mother to purchase a speaker, however when the victim reached a store in Faga alu the defendant asked the victim if he had any money, and the victim replied no. According to the case, Sasala then reached into the victim s pocket and took out $3.00, putting the rest back into the victim s pocket. The victim ran back home and told his mother what had happened. His mother then contacted the police for assistance. Sasala was ordered not to consume alcohol, nor congregate with people who were drinking alcohol and he s also ordered not to enter into bars or taverns and must remain a law-abiding citizen. AH SIU JAILED FOR 28 MONTHS A man whose been convicted twice before the court for burglary incidents was sentenced to serve 28 months in the latest case against him. Taligalu Ah Siu of Vaitogi in this latest case is accused of unlawfully entering a home and removing a gas tank. He was initially charged with second-degree burglary, attempted burglary and stealing. However, in a plea deal with the government, Ah Siu pled guilty to the burglary counts while the remaining charge was dismissed. Last month when this matter was first brought before the court for sentencing, the defendant pleaded with the court for a second chance so he can complete his education and search for employment, so he can render care for his mother and family. Ah Siu apologized to the court for violating his probation and also sought forgiveness from the victim in this latest case. Kruse prior to sentencing said the defendant needs help and he must undergo counseling. He said that part of the problem is that he uses the gas tank to sniff gas. Kruse further said, if the defendant is jailed for seven years, he will not sniff gas anymore and he would not be in trouble anymore with the law. However, if he s released from jail he will have the opportunity to undergo the counseling and help that he needs. (Continued on page 14) (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc. ALL PUZZLE ANSWERs on page 14

3 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 3 US creates economic advisory team to manage Puerto Ricans SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The U.S. The U.S. administration official stressed that government is sending a team of federal officials the federal government routinely has conversations to help Puerto Rico manage an economic crisis about similar initiatives with governors, mayors that has spooked investors as the U.S. territory and county leaders across the U.S., noting there s braces for its eighth year of recession. a current initiative called Strong Cities, Strong The team will be composed of officials from Communities in which federal teams work inside the departments of Education, Health and Human city halls to encourage economic growth. Services, and Housing and Urban Development, The team was created by a presidential task as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, force that has worked with Puerto Rico on issues a U.S. administration official said Wednesday. related to political status. President Bill Clinton The official spoke on condition of anonymity created the task force in 2000 to analyze Puerto because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the effort. tion expanded its scope to make recommenda- Rico s status, but President Obama s administra- Officials will travel to Puerto Rico starting in tions on policies affecting areas such as education, health care and economic development. The December to work with the U.S. territory s government on how best to maximize federal funds task force includes members from every Cabinet in those areas to help boost its economy. The officials will work in an advisory capacity, making Formation of the team follows recent specu- agency and issued its last report in March sure federal money available to Puerto Rico is lation that Washington might step in to help the being taken advantage of and is being appropriately administered. No additional federal funds with $69 billion in public debt and a 13.9 percent Caribbean territory s government as it struggles are planned beyond current allocations. unemployment rate, higher than any U.S. state. Former Puerto Rico House Speaker Jenniffer The island s general obligation bonds have Gonzalez said she considers the move as a type been hovering at just above near-junk status. of receivership. It shows the lack of trust that the In September, Puerto Rico s Government federal government has concerning the capacity Development Bank announced it would cut bond of the current administration over economic and sales after investors pushed the yield on Puerto fiscal matters, said Gonzalez, a representative of Rico bonds above 10 percent. Shortly afterward, the pro-statehood New Progressive Party. Garcia said he would increase the borrowing While Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla did capacity of Puerto Rico s main debt issuer, the not respond to requests for comment regarding Sales Tax Financing Authority. the announcement, his chief of staff Ingrid Vila Garcia also has taken other measures to rejected Gonzalez s comments. appease Wall Street ratings agencies, including There is no federal takeover of Puerto Rico, the reformation of a pension system that had a she said. Our economic plan is working, and we $37.3 billion liability. The federal officials will are continuing to work through the next phases work with Garcia to outline joint economic goals, of our plan, which includes tapping the Obama with a review expected in six months. Helping Administration for advice on how we can maximize our federal resources, so that we can grow Office of Management and Budget, the National the team will be U.S.-based officials with the the Commonwealth s economy. Economic Council and the Treasury Department. USDOL to set up local office in January 2014 by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent The U.S. Labor Department will have a presence in American Samoa for three years beginning next year and will be working closely with ASG s Human Resources Department. During Tuesday s cabinet meeting, Human Resources director Sonny Thompson revealed that USDOL will have a presence in the territory for three years, beginning in January 2014, and there s already a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga on issues they have agreed to work on. Thompson said it s important ASG fully comply with the Fair Labor Act dealing with employee compensation and it s important to have employees paid according to the law. He said failure to be in compliance with the law will result in having to spend unnecessary time resolving complaints with the federal government. USDOL officials with the Wage and Hour Division were in the territory last week and met with Thompson along with directors and officials of ASG departments and entities. Thompson later told Samoa News that the MOU is to be signed soon by the governor. Responding to Samoa News questions, the governor s executive assistant Iulogologo Joseph Pereira said USDOL representatives informed Lolo during an exit meeting that the agency would be setting up a presence in the territory for three years primarily to improve the capacity of businesses to comply with federal laws. During the cabinet meeting, the governor said he is thankful that USDOL will be here working alongside ASG. However, he said that the federal agency is becoming strong on issues that we ve never heard before and informed directors to always tell the Labor Department that we do have local laws and they (USDOL) have to respect that. Lolo said, Unless we don t find local laws that govern a situation, then that will be a different story. But, every single move and action in this government is governed by some type of law So please respect our laws and don t give the federal government the opportunity to come down and tell us what to do. The governor pointed out that American Samoa has been in the political process for over 100 years and therefore the territory is out of that stage, that we need to be told what s right and what s wrong. We have the intelligence, we have the capacity, and we have the potential to make our own decisions, he said. 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4 Page 4 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 COOL COOL Stuff Pragmatic Manu a Blessing ceremony for BLAST project (BASED ON PRESS RELEASE) American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) will host tomorrow a Blessing Ceremony for the long anticipated Broadband Linking the American Samoa Territory (BLAST) Project. The ceremony starts at 10a.m. at the Michels Corporation Lot in Tafuna, across from the Veterans Memorial Stadium. In a statement ASTCA said it feels that a Blessing Ceremony is more appropriate instead of a Ground Breaking, since technically, the project has been on going for some time now. Additionally, the ceremony is simply to thank the individuals, businesses and government agencies that have played a vital part in initiating and carrying out this project. The engineering team from Michels Corporation, the contracted off island company which will head the construction of the fiber optic cable system to local homes and businesses, has arrived in American Samoa and are ready to start drilling. The Blessing Ceremony will serve, as a public notice in itself that BLAST is now only a few steps closer to launch and high-speed broadband Internet services will be available on our island soon Funded with federal stimulus money, the BLAST project will transform the islands legacy copper network into an advanced Fiber-To-The-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure. In other words, said ASTCA, residents as well as businesses in American Samoa will have access to this world-class network, which will deliver significantly high-speed data, next generation voice services and new Internet protocol television (IPTV). The BLAST Project will bring many opportunities of advancement to the territory, especially for the economy, it says. Osini Faleatasi Inc. reserves all rights. dba Samoa News is published Monday through Saturday, except for some local and federal holidays. Please send correspondences to: OF, dba Samoa News, Box 909, Pago Pago, American Samoa Contact us by Telephone at (684) Contact us by Fax at (684) Contact us by at [email protected] Normal 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 Barry Markowitz, Special for Samoa News Government guys tolerate me, and of course more accurately, generally savor just avoiding me. I completely sympathize. We private sector guys try, but don t earn a living being nice. We would prefer to talk straight than say what somebody wants to hear. We private sector journalists are even worse, because we remember too much and know too much. So I must admit I was extremely surprised when an American Samoa Government official walked up to me at an outdoor eating area and talked specifics, and talked direct about his love and concern for Manu a. Wow how refreshing to hear the government is genuinely motivated to really do something for one of the most unique and oft forgotten treasures of all the Samoas. I have always had a great passion for Manu a ever since I took then USC star Kennedy Pola (now Polamalu) with me back in the early 80s to revisit his home village set up by then Lt. Governor Tufele F. Lia. I had been back covering the old Samoa Air expansion, and also (sadly) covering the devastation by Super Cyclone Olaf for CNN back around Tufele and my fa a aiga mom, Alofaaga Tialavea Manumaleuga were my original ties to Manu a. Subsequently, I walked backwards into my wife s historic tie to Manu a, as her great great grandfather, Alexander Brown, cruised through Tau on his way to Lona, Fagaloa Bay, Samoa thus the Samoan Browns, Frueans, Sapolu, Ah How, and Ah Kuoi family networks. Like politicians, those families also barely tolerate me. The government official blew me away because he didn t dance around with his questions. We bantered pragmatic questions back and forth about economic vehicles and tourism to help the people of Manu a. He, in turn, was blown away because I had immediate suggestions and images on my iphone backing them up. What? How would a cheeky Palagi journalist know anything? Back in the day, Governor Lutali asked me to write an economic treatise on innovative ways to help American Samoa (he knew I had a degree in Economics from UCLA). The concepts apply today as they did then to both Tutuila and the Manu a Islands. I then asked the government guy Gus Hanneman what kind of recyclable trash the island was dealing with; particularly do Manu ans drink beer from aluminum cans and bottles? Yes they do was his answer. So I showed him a picture of an alcohol stove in action built by Sam, owner of Batchstove. Sam makes them out of enthusiastically consumed aluminum beer bottles (and could do cans too). Gus was stunned, You mean we can take Manu a trash and turn it into cash, and businesses, and jobs? You mean when the afa comes that Manu ans can cook entire meals on that little home made stove? And they can make that stove at home or in a small workshop without expensive tools, machinery and imported materials? They can send those empty ships and planes back with these cool lightweight practical little stoves? Yup, yup, yup, yup and more yups. Instead of being a government looking to hit home runs with overseas Palagi and Asian companies, why don t you give the Manu a People the power to create their own future and to market to other Pacific Islanders, or put a fa a Samoa flair spin on it, and market back to the US Mainland and Hawaii? You and I both know that Samoans will always take a Palagi idea and make it their own after a few Vailimas. Bring this good ol boy Sam to Manu a to train one or two committed Manu a families. Create an arrangement that Sam gets a small $1.50 royalty for every stove sold. He will always be there to help them on the phone or online. This is how things work successfully in the private sector through relationships. Sam continues to create new designs and accessories, as he a Coolio kine guy. It can happen with tasty coconut smoked Manu a fish. Any family cottage industry can become an empire. Thailand is even selling coconut based BBQ charcoal to Hawaii. Thailand selling coconut BBQ charcoal to Hawaii has got to be the island equivalent of selling ice to Eskimos. So after turning to the topic of the almighty omnipresent coconut, I asked Gus if he was aware of Samoa s (Samoa i Sisifo) US funded efforts to create fuel with coconut oil? He was not aware of it. Well, maybe the US Government should place their investment with Manu a too, instead of the Territory (and probably the US Government indirectly) subsidizing the shipment of expensive diesel fuel to run generators for the Manu as. Diesel generators and even diesel cars/ trucks are commonly run around the World with vegetable oil, recycled used restaurant cooking oils... and yes, that includes the potential use of coconut oil. Solar panels are probably the best primary home source of electricity, but it seems generators will always be a requirement for heavy-duty power. We furthered with continued talk regarding Asian imported noodles, and how import substitution (with local flour, and water) could create local business ownership, jobs, and reduce the Territory s dollars going overseas. Leone Saimini? Samoa s Grant Percival has made amazing flour from locally grown island agriculture products, including ulu. So more jobs and opportunities abound to the proactive. And then I finished my slice; courtesy of Mrs. Hannemann, turned to Gus said, Your time is up, uma lava pizza. It s in your hands, not mine. You can t outbid the huge bucks paid to me weekly by the Samoa News. So get on it, help our beloved Manu a on your own, or order me another slice with pepperoni this time, pretty please. Did I get my second slice? The Manu a tale continues. You Coolios will always be the first to know. Bless Manu a, bless all of Samoa, and bless the Italia for inventing pizza.

5 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 5 GOLF TOURNAMENT SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2013 Iliili Golf Course Tee 7:00am GOLF VICTORY CHAPEL CHRISTIAN CHURCH Psalm 98: 1 Psalm 20: 5 THANKSGIVING Great and Exciting PRIZES Blue Sky mobile phones Cases of Wahoo Turkey for Thanksgiving RT Tickets to Samoa MAJOR SPONSOR: 3 MAN SCRAMBLE (Best Ball) $250 INDIVIDUAL $ 25 SPECIAL $ 20 CLOSEST TO THE HOLE LONGEST DRIVE In addition to all these exciting prizes, a delicious and tasty PURPOSE: Church Building and Facilities Expansion and Remodeling. Hope Fatuoaiga (Home for the elderly & children with special needs) and the American Samoa Red Cross. Breakfast and Lunch will be served! Contacts: Rev. Si ulagi Solomona , Sofa i , Sam or Senia HAPPY THANKSGIVING MANUIA TELE LE ASO FA AFETAI! God Bless and Thank You!

6 Page 6 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 ASCC/SGA students to attend conference for student leaders ASCC Student Government Association adviser Maxine Tuiolemotu (center) confers with SGA Secretary Anna Sewell (left) and Treasurer Visa Vaiau, who will attend the National Center for Student Leadership fall 2013 conference this weekend in New Orleans. [photo: J. Kneubuhl] By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer Two members of the Student Government Association (SGA) at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will represent the Territory at the National Center for Student Leaders (NCSL) fall 2013 conference, which will take place between November 21st and 24th in New Orleans. SGA Secretary Anna Sewell and SGA Treasurer Visa Vaiau have been chosen by their peers to attend the event, after which they will have earned the designation of Certified Student Leaders. The NCSL anticipates approximately 700 student leaders from across the nation will attend the conference, FAASILASILAGA O LE FA APA IAINA O LE MALUMALU O LE ALA O LE OLA EFKAS I NU UULI O le a le toe tofi tofa pa ia o le Atunu u, o le a le toe tapu e fo i fa alaauola paia fa autigata, ma mamalu fa aetegata o le Atunu u. Aua o lea ua tu La, fanola tupua tofia o le Atunu u, e leai se vave, a o se atoa i le liu o lo u va a, e toe ato fuli ai paia fa ataotooto o Samoa o le Atunu u tofi. Tulou ia le Paia o le Falesefulu ma le Manu atele, Paia i la oulua faigamalo, Mamalu i le tapuaiga ia Pule ma Tumua, Tulou. Mamalu i le aufaigaluega a le Atua o lo o tapuaia faiva o le Atunu u, Tulou. A o lenei fa asilasilaga e fa asino tonu i alo ma fanau a lenei nu u o Nu uuli, o lo o alala ma papa a ao i Samoa nei ma atunu u e mamao, e fa apea: UA MAE A NEI ONA FA AFOUINA LE MALUMALU TAPUA I O LE ALA O LE OLA, EFKAS I NU UULI, LE MAOTA O LE ATUA E TAPUA I AI LE NU U. O lea ua ulimasao, o lea ua toto le fuifui, talaga pasina fo i le mafua ali i, aua ua a e faiva o le tautai sa fagota i le tai loloto, lea ua a e i fanua, o lea ua atoa li o o le masina. Sa tapua i fo i le fe epo a o alofaiva le tama o Leatonie, o lea ua a e malo. Fa afetai fai tatalo. E taalo fa aaloalo atu ai, afifio mai ma tala mai aao, tatou fiafia faatasi. Ave le fa afetai ma le viiga i le Atua ua mae a le galuega, fa afetai tapua i. O le a fa ataunu uina lenei fa amoemoe ia Novema 28, 2013 i le itula e 10:00 i le taeao. Fa amoemoe o le a tatou feiloa i i le manuia i lea aso. Sainia, Rev. Dr. Elia Ta ase ma le Faletua Afioga Ma opu, Taumafaalofi ma Usoali i Fetalaiga i le To afa, mamalu i le Ekalesia EFKAS i Nu uuli which will mark the 75th Assembly of the organization. Participating students will have a choice of 20 guest speakers to choose from, who will cover topics ranging from goal setting to team-building, negotiation, storytelling, the art of listening, critical thinking, meeting management, and more. The learning that takes place at NCSL enables each individual to return to campus better equipped to contribute to their campus and to their communities, explains the official NCSL press release for the event. For Visa Vaiau, 19, the conference means a chance to develop her leadership skills. I m grateful to attend this conference, and I hope to gain as much knowledge and leadership skills as possible so that I can practice these skills in the near future, she said. Visa has gone through the list of presenters and topics, and selected three she considers must-sees How to Deal with Difficult People by Nancy Hunter Denney, Money Management for Leaders by Peter Bielagus, and Stop Setting Goals: Start Achieving Them by Hoan Do. In addition to her duties as SGA Secretary, Anna Sewell, 21, currently plans to major in Nursing. She considers attending the NCSL event a golden opportunity, and like Visa she intends to gather useful ideas on leadership. This conference will teach me how to become a better leader and how to teach others, Anna reflected. Both Anna and Visa were selected on the basis of their commitment and dedication to their respective positions within the SGA. The National Center for Student Leadership was founded in 1978 to provide leadership development opportunities to college student leaders and campus professionals from across the country and around the world. The Center equips collegiate student leaders and their advisors with comprehensive tools to achieve their leadership potential and positively impact their campuses and communities through practical, focused training and opportunities to collaborate with other student leaders. Over the years, the NCSL has become best known for its bi-annual leadership conferences every spring and fall. Each conference offers in-depth workshops on leadership topics chosen for their relevance to the skills young leaders need to succeed on campus and beyond. For more information on the NCLS, visit ncslcollege.com

7 NEWS IN BRIEF Malala makes an officials drop a 10-foot-tall Pfizer to close IMPASSIONEd plea lighted crayon because the city manufacturing for child education is home to Crayola Inc. plant in Puerto Rico BRUSSELS (AP) In a MalTA postpones SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico speech accepting the EU s top citizenship sale (AP) Pfizer Inc. says it will human rights award, Pakistani after opposition close one of its three manufacturing plants in Puerto Rico by schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai has VALLETTA, Malta (AP) urged the 28-nation bloc to better Malta has indefinitely postponed The world s largest drug help millions of children who are implementing a law to sell its maker says the manufacturing denied a formal education. citizenship and entrance of products at its plant in the At the age of 16, Malala into the European Union for north coastal city of Barceloneta will be moved elsewhere. confidently addressed the 650,000 euros ($850,000) following massive outcry on the The company says the closure packed legislature Wednesday, demanding that leaders do more Mediterranean island. is linked to the loss of patent to provide these children with The government backpedaled even after Parliament (Continued on page 8) exclusivity and improved man- a book and a pen and better protect the many girls who face passed the legislation and President George Abela signed it, violence for seeking them. Malala was wounded during an indication that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was feeling a Taliban assassination attempt in Pakistan last year because the heat from the opposition, of her outspoken objection to unions and ordinary Maltese an interpretation of Islam that and some negative international media reports. keeps women at home and bars girls from school. The proposal would have After the applause died allowed foreigners to buy down at the European Parliament and Malala received her any residency or investment a Maltese passport without Sakharov Prize, European requirements, thus gaining coveted entrance and residency in Parliament President Martin Schulz thanked her for an any of the other 27 EU member extraordinary moment. states. The government had India: Gold bars predicted the proposal would worth $1M found bring in 30 million euros ($40 in plane lavatory million) annually and help ease NEW DELHI (AP) the country s deficit. Cleaners found a stash of 24 But Muscat told Parliament gold bars worth more than $1.1 late Tuesday that the government was ready to hold talks million hidden in an airplane lavatory after a flight from with the opposition Nationalist Party to negotiate changes Bangkok arrived in eastern India, officials said Wednesday. to the law, and hinted that he The Jet Airways plane had would seek a referendum if no landed in Kolkata and was agreement is found. being cleaned before a scheduled flight to Patna when the opposed the law, vowing to The Nationalists had Thank You, cleaners found two bags with repeal it if they returned to the gold stashed inside, Customs official Mona Priyazenships sold. In a statement, power and revoke all the citidarshini said. Priyadarshini the Nationalists welcomed the said the gold bars weighed shelving of the legislation and around 1 kilogram each. Customs officials confiscated the amendments requiring the new said they were ready to discuss stash and are investigating. passport holders to have Maltese residency and offer job-cre- India is one of the world s biggest consumers of gold. The ating investment opportunities. government increased the gold Swiss leaders import duty, which officials say oppose gold has encouraged smuggling. reserves initiative Pa. town to ring GENEVA (AP) Swiss in New Year with ministers are opposing a plan giant mushroom to haul back the country s gold KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. reserves stored abroad. (AP) A town near Philadelphia that s famous for fungus Federal Council, which The seven-member ruling will ring in 2014 with a giant includes the president, agreed mushroom. Wednesday that it opposes the The 700-pound, stainless popular referendum expected steel toadstool will be lowered to go before voters within several years. A yes vote would from a crane Dec. 31 as residents of Kennett Square count ban the Swiss National Bank down to the New Year. The from selling any gold reserves Philadelphia Inquirer reports or storing them abroad, and the sculpture will be more than require at least 20 percent of its 7 feet wide and 8 feet tall. assets to be held in gold. Kennett Square calls itself The ministers said in a statement Wednesday that parlia- the mushroom capital of the world because area farms ment should recommend that account for about half of U.S. people vote no and thereby mushroom production. avoid restricting the central The mushroom joins a slew bank s ability to keep prices of quirky New Year s Eve traditions in Pennsylvania. and growing. stable and the economy healthy In Bethlehem, residents celebrate Jan. 1 by lowering an of the country s gold reserves The bank has said that most 85-pound statue of a Marshmallow Peep, since the treats nearly a third is stashed in Eng- are stored in Switzerland, but are made locally. In Easton, land and Canada. GENERAL ADMISSION $20 / PER PERSON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH, PM samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 7 E valani s Book Your Christmas Parties & Special Events NOW. Party Plans To Fit Your Budget Discounted Drinks & Beer Specials Extended Happy Hours in Pago No House Fee Karaoke & Disco Dancing Live Band By Request Call / / American Samoa Government AMERICAN SAMOA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PUBLIC ADVISORY The public is cautioned to avoid swimming, fishing and recreational use of the Avau Cove due to the presence of a deceased whale on the reef flat. Given the large size of the decomposing animal and its proximity to shore, the ASEPA advises the public to refrain from swimming, fishing and other recreational activities in the Avau Cove as the water may pose a risk to human health. This advisory will remain in effect until the carcass has been removed. Ameko Pato, Director AS-Environmental Protection Agency TOP SIRLOIN STEAK OR POT ROAST For more information/reservation call:

8 Page 8 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 NEWS IN BRIEF Continued from page 7 Kevin Chenais sits in his mobility scooter in front of an ambulance at St Pancras in London, Wednesday, Nov. 20, Kevin, who suffers from a medical condition will travel by ambulance and ferry back to France. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Too fat to fly? Stranded Frenchman s long ordeal LONDON (AP) He s been turned down by planes, trains and even a cruise ship in his quest to return home and his family says it s because he has been deemed too fat to travel. Now Frenchman Kevin Chenais long and fitful journey is coming to an end. Chenais, who weighs 500 pounds (230 kilograms), says he has been repeatedly refused transport over the past two weeks as he sought to get home to France from the United States. P&O Ferries finally offered to take him in an ambulance across the English Channel on Wednesday, the final hurdle keeping him from his home near the Swiss border. It s terrible. It s discrimination. It was very hard, tiring and a big waste of money for my parents, the 22-year-old told RTL radio on Wednesday. Slumped over in his mobility scooter, he said he was exhausted just before being loaded into the ambulance. Chenais mother was outraged by the treatment her son allegedly received, saying he was discriminated against because of his weight. It s not the fault of my son to be big. He has a genetic illness, Christina Chenais said. We are very happy to go home after this long, distressing and traumatic situation. The odyssey began when British Airways refused to honor his return ticket from the United States, where he spent months receiving medical care for a hormone imbalance. When we talked about this problem with British Airways that Kevin was too fat... (they said) abandon any intention of coming back to France, Kevin s father, Rene, told RTL Radio. From the fact of his incapacity, his obesity, he was not considered to be a normal being, but more like a problem. BA acknowledges that it refused to let Chenais board the plane, but said confidentiality rules prevent it from saying why. BA insisted that it does not discriminate against customers for any reason and that the airline provides the option of an extra seat to people who contact them with concerns about seat width. We respect the privacy of the customer so cannot comment on any changes in circumstance between arrival and departure dates, the company said in a statement. British Airways declined to say what the changes in circumstance had been. Chenais said Carnival Cruises also rejected his request for a cabin on a trans-atlantic voyage. The company declined to comment. Virgin Atlantic airlines stepped in to fly him to London, he said. The company refused to comment on the topic to The Associated Press. From London, Chenais had planned to take the Eurostar train home. But Eurostar refused to allow him on board because of safety rules governing travel through the Channel Tunnel: The high-speed train that connects England to France and Belgium requires all passengers to have the ability to be safely evacuated and Chenais obesity-caused lack of mobility made that impossible. This is a terrible situation, Eurostar said in a statement. Our heart goes out to Mr. Chenais and his family who are understandably desperate to return home after being stranded in America. Eurostar paid for the family s hotel room and worked with P&O to find a solution. It s difficult to imagine the frustration that this gentleman has gone through, P&O spokesman Chris Laming said in a statement. But for us, it s very straightforward, as we are set up to carry people who have medical needs. The ferry company took Chenais and his family across the English Channel late Wednesday to Calais. From there, the family was driving to the French town of Ferney-Voltaire, 740 kilometers (460 miles) to the southeast. I am waiting to see my sisters and the other people in my family, Chenais told RTL radio. I couldn t have imagined this for us. ufacturing efficiency. Pfizer employs nearly 2,700 people at its three manufacturing plants and commercial offices on the Caribbean island. The company said Wednesday that it does not know yet how many people will be laid off. The announcement comes less than a week after Merck announced it would stop active ingredient production at its plant in Barceloneta, a Puerto Rican city that was once considered a pharmaceutical hub. Obama aide: president to visit Asia in April WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama plans to visit Asia in April. That word came from his national security adviser, Susan Rice, during a speech Wednesday about the region. Rice didn t say which countries the president would visit. Rice says the Obama administration was disappointed that the partial government shutdown in October forced Obama to cancel a trip to Asia. She says Obama s visit in April will allow him to continue strengthening U.S. ties across Asia. teen faces retrial in school bomb plot LONDON (AP) A 17-year-old boy accused of planning a school attack inspired by the one at Colorado s Columbine High School in 1999 faces a retrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict. The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, was accused of plotting a series of gun-and-bomb attacks on his former school and other local targets in Leicestershire in central England. He has been diagnosed with Asperger s syndrome since his arrest in February and denies two counts of terrorism charges. A jury of six men and six women were discharged Wednesday after they failed to reach a verdict following six days of deliberations. A hearing will take place Dec. 12 to set a date for the boy s retrial. Berlin man confesses art forgery, commits suicide BERLIN (AP) German police say a Berlin gallery owner has committed suicide days after confessing to forging and selling paintings by French-German artist Lou Albert-Lasard. Police say the 73-year-old former teacher, whose name they did not release, admitted last week to having forged works by the Jewish painter since His body was found Sunday in a forest near Berlin. Authorities suspect he sold some 100 watercolors and prints claiming they had been painted by Albert-Lasard in the 1920s. A spokesman for the Protestant Church in Berlin and Brandenburg says the man donated several paintings for charitable auctions he conducted to raise money for refugees. Volker Jastrzembski said church officials were deeply shaken by the suicide and would now contact people who bought the paintings. NASA diagnosing problem on Mars rover PASADENA, Calif. (AP) The Mars rover Curiosity has temporarily stopped science observations while NASA checks out an electrical problem. The space agency said Wednesday the voltage change was first discovered on Sunday and engineers think it might be some kind of short. The six-wheel, nuclearpowered rover halted work as a precaution. So far, there s no sign that the problem is related to a computer reboot earlier this month that put Curiosity in safe mode. Curiosity landed in a Martian crater in August 2012 and has spent the last several months driving toward its ultimate destination, Mount Sharp. US closing courthouses in NC, Okla., W.Va., Wyo. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Federal officials are closing four more courthouses in an effort to save money on rent in addition to six closings announced previously. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said Wednesday closing courthouses in Bryson City, N.C.; McAlester, Okla.; Parkersburg, W.Va.; and Jackson, Wyo., by the end of the year would save $551,000 annually. The courthouses do not have a federal judge regularly assigned there. Patrick Keaney, the court clerk for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, says the impact of the McAlester closure would be minimal because most area cases are already heard in a federal courthouse 65 miles away in Muskogee. The government last year reviewed 60 courthouses and announced the closure of those in Gadsden, Ala., Pikeville, Ky.; Meridian, Miss.; Wilkesboro, N.C.; Beaufort, S.C.; and Amarillo, Texas. Grandmother pleads not guilty in alleged drug plot PHOENIX (AP) A Ferris, Texas, woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations that she had her 9-year-old granddaughter plant drugs in her son-in-law s car in Arizona so the grandmother could gain fulltime custody of the child. A Maricopa County Superior Court spokeswoman says 58-year-old SanJuanita Carabajal s next proceeding on a charge of involving a child in a drug offense is scheduled for Jan. 2. Gilbert police say Carabajal gave the child several packets containing 4 grams of cocaine and told her where to put them in her father s vehicle. Carabajal also allegedly told her granddaughter to tell people about the drugs at her elementary school and show one of the baggies to a teacher. Messages left Wednesday afternoon for Carabajal s attorney, Melinda Kovacs, weren t immediately returned. (Continued on page 12) C Y C Y M K M K

9 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 9 C Y M K Saunia: L.A.F./Naenae Productions UUNAI MALOSI SE FONO MO LE AU FAIPISINISI Ua lipotia mai le uunaia malosi e le alii sui palemia, le tofa Fonotoe Nuafesili Pierre Lauofo, le faavaeina o se fono i tulaga tau pisinisi a Samoa ma Niu Sila ina ia faaleleia atili ai lea auaunaga mo le au faipisinisi mai Samoa nei. O lea tulaga o lo o uunaia e Fonotoe ao auai atu i le Faaaliga o Oloa mai Samoa lea o lo o faagasolo i le vaiaso nei i Aukilani i Niu Sila. Na saunoa Fonotoe, o lea fono o le a fesoasoani tele i le faaleleia o le auaunaga a le malo i tulaga tau fefaatauaiga aua e le gata o le a tele ni avanoa o le a mafai ona maua ai e le au faipisinisi Samoa mo le auina atu o a latou oloa gaosi i fafo, ae o le a mafai ai foi ona fesoasoani i le atinaeina e le gata i le tamaoaiga o Samoa, ae faapea foi o pisinisi lava ia. O le isi itu o lo o uunaia ele sui palemia lea fono, ina ia aveesea ai le tele o pa puipui o lo o taofia ma taotaomia ai taumafaiga a le toatele o le au faipisinisi o lo o taumafai e atinae tulaga tau fefaatauaiga. O lea fono na taua e Fonotoe o le a filifilia ai nao le au faipisinisi e aunoa ma se sui o le malo e aofia ai. OFO LE MALO SAINA E FESOASOANI I AOGA Ua ofo mai le fesoasoani a le malo Saina aua le a otauina o alo ma fanau o Samoa ma e tauala mai lea fesoasoani i le Matagaluega o Aoga, Taaloga ma Aganuu. Ua malie le malo Saina pe a tusa ai ma fuafuaga, na te totogiina uma meaaoga ma manaomiaga tau api ma tusi e faaaoga i aoaoga a le fanau. Na faaalia e le Faatonusili o Aoga, le afioga Matafeo Falanaipupu Tanielu Aiafi, e faitau miliona tupe a le malo e faaaluina i tausaga taitasi i meaaoga a le fanau, ma e talia ma le agaga faafetai lea ofo a le malo Saina. Na saunoa Matafeo, o seleni a le malo o le a faasaoina ona o lea fesoasoani a Saina, o le a faaaogaina nei e le matagaluega e totogi ai isi o faiaoga faaopopo. O le faafitauli o lo o faafeagai ai ma le matagaluega i le taimi nei o le utiuti o faiaoga aemaise lava mo mataupu taua e pei o le matematika, saienisi ma mataupu faamatata eseese e pei o le faakamuta, palama ma le faimoli i totonu o kolisi. Na faaalia, o lo o mafai foi ona auina mai faiaoga mai Saina pe a moomia e galulue i totonu o kolisi i le aoaoina o ia mataupu. O le fesoasoani a le malo Saina ua ofo mai ai o le a amata faatupeina ai meaaoga a le fanau i le isi kuata aoga o lo o sosoo nei. FAAMASINOGA O LEVAOPOLO MA CHRISTINE AINUU Ua amatalia nei i le Faamasinoga Faaitumalo le faamasinoga o lo o suesueina ai tuuaiga faasaga i le alii faipule o le itumalo o Gaga emauga Numera 2, le afioga Levaopolo Talatonu Vaai, ma le (Faaauau itulau 13) Smoke billows from a new island off the coast of Nishinoshima, seen at bottom, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, far south of Tokyo Thursday, Nov. 21, The Japan Coast Guard and earthquake experts said a volcanic eruption has raised the new island in the seas to the far south of Tokyo. The coast guard issued an advisory Wednesday warning of heavy black smoke from the eruption. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) C M Y K

10 Page 10 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Le Lali To atele na maua siaki Ovataimi ae Le Komesina o Leoleo ia William E. Haleck (itu agavale) ma le Komesina o le Ofisa o Palota, le tofa Tuaolo M. Fruean, lea fo i sa avea ma Komesina o Leoleo i le nofoaiga a Togiola ma Faoa ua mavae atu, i se la ata sa pu eina ina ua maea le fonotaga a le Kapeneta a le alii kovana sa faia i le potu fono a le Kolisi Tuufaatasi i le aso Lua na te a nei. [ata: AF] Sauni Lolo faamalosia nisi fautuaga mo le Ofisa Aoga tusia Ausage Fausia Na taua fo i e Lolo lona faia o se faaiuga, ina Ua i ai le fuafuaga a le afioga i le Kovana ia aveese mai nisi o matafaioi o lo o faatino e le Sili ia Lolo Moliga, e le o toe mamao se taimi Matagaluega o Aoga e pei o le faaleleia lea o e amata loa ona faamalosia nisi o fautuaga sa faleaoga (Maintenance), ae tuu atu i le Matagaluega o Galuega Lautele latou te faatinoina, ina tuuina mai i le Fonotaga o Aoga sa faia i le masina na te a nei, mo auala e faatino ai nisi o ia aua ai ne i toe lavelave tiute tauave a le Ofisa auaunaga a le Matagaluega o Aoga. o Aoga, ae tuu atu atoa lo latou taimi e a oa o Na taua e Lolo i lana saunoaga i le fono a le ai fanau aoga. Kapeneta i le vaiaso nei e faapea, o lo o galulue O le agaga maualuga o le malo, aua nei lona ofisa i le tau tuu faatasia o se ripoti faai u toe faatalale le Ofisa o Aoga i le faatinoina o e tusa ai o le fautuaga a le Komiti o le Fonotaga ona tiute i le aoaoina o fanau aoga, e pei ona o Aoga, ma le faamoemoe e tatau foi ona i ai se maitauina i tausaga ua mavae, ae ave atoa loa fautuaga e tuuina atu i le Fono mo vaega e tatau lo latou taimi, tamaoaiga ma le tomai e a oa o ona mulimulita i i ai le Ofisa o Aoga. ai fanau ina ia popoto ma atamamai, o le saunoaga lea a Lolo. O nisi o fautuaga na taua e Lolo e tatau ona amata faamalosia e le Ofisa o Aoga i le tausaga Sa ia taua foi lona fautuaina o le Peresetene fou 2014, o le tatau lea ona tofu uma faiaoga o le Kolisi Tuufaatasi, ina ia faatulaga lelei o le a galulue i le aoaoina o fanau ma faailoga auala e a oa oina ai faiaoga mo le sailiga o a BA, ae a maualalo ane o le AA degree mai le latou faailoga, e fesoasoani ai i le pito laau a le Kolisi Tuufaatasi. Matagaluega o Aoga. Ua i ai le manatu ua tatau loa ona amata faamalosia nisi o fautuaga sa tuuina mai e i latou tino lenei galuega na o ia, e aunoa ma le tatou E le mafai e le Faatonusili o Aoga ona faa- na faafofoga ma auai i lea Fonotaga, ina ia iloa lagolago atu i ai, o le isi lea saunoaga a Lolo i ai o lo o aoga talanoaga sa faia, ae le faapea o le lana kapeneta. a tatou nofonofo ai lava ma nei mau fautuaga e Na faamaonia e le Faatonusili o le Matagaluega o Galuega a le malo ia Faleosina Voight leai se mea e faia i ai, o le saunoaga lea a Lolo. Talu ona maea le Fonotaga o Aoga, e le i e faapea, e lima vaega ua vaevae i ai e lana maea lava ona tuufaatasia se ripoti faaiu e tusa matagaluega le polokalame o le tausia ma le ai o fautuaga uma sa tuuina atu e sui usufono. vaavaaia lelei o faleaoga uma i le atunuu. Ae i le aotelega o lenei mataupu e pei ona O ia vaega e lima, ua maea ona tofia i ai i saunoa Lolo, ua ia manatu ai e taua fautuaga latou e faauluulu i ai le vaavaaia o nei galuega. sa tuuina atu e sui usufono, i le tatau lea ona O vaega e lima ua vaevaeina i ai le tausia lelei faamamafa le faaaogaina o le gagana Samoa i o faleaoga e aofia ai le Itu i Sisifo lea ua taitaia soo se taimi e aoaoina ai fanau aoga, ma ia faamalosia ona galulue faatasi tagatanuu, pisinisi Tutonu lea o lo o vaavaaia e le tofa Masaniai; e le susuga a Amituana i Uini Atofau; o Sisifo ma le atunuu atoa i le aoaoina o fanau. o aoga i le taulaga o lo o vaavaaia e le afioga O se tasi o auala na taua e Lolo e mafai ai Pulu Ae Ae Jr; o Sasa e tutonu o lo o vaavaaia ona faamalosia fautuaga ma ta iala sa mafai ona e Tuimaseve Laupola, ma aoga i Sasa e o lo o tuufaatasia i le taimi o le Fonotaga, o le tuuina vaavaaia e le afioga Vaesa u Talauega. atu lea o se pili i le Fono Faitulafono mo se tulafono taufaaofi, e mafai ai ona faamalosia atili Feso ota i mai i le tusitala ia lenei mataupu. [email protected] le agava a tusia Ausage Fausia E i ai tagata faigaluega a le malo sa le tatau ona agavaa latou i ovataimi, a o lea na maua a latou siaki tetele i ovataimi a le malo, e pei ona faamalamalama e le Faatonusili o le Matagaluega o Tagata Faigaluega a le malo ia Sonny L. Thompson, i luma o le Fono a le Kapeneta i le aso Lua na te a nei. Na aofia le mataupu i ovataimi a tagata faigaluega a le malo i le folasaga a Thompson, a o ia taumafai e faamanino nisi o matafaioi tauave a lana matagaluega, e aofia ai le malosi latou te faa faigaluegaina ai tagata faigaluega a le malo, ma teu malu faamaumauga e fitoitonu i tagata faigaluega a le malo. Soo se tagata faigaluega a le malo e itiiti ifo i lalo o le $380 lona totogi i le vaiaso o ia lena e agava a i ovataimi, a o i latou uma e ova atu ma le aofaiga lea a latou totogi e maua i le vaiaso, e le agava a i latou i ovataimi. Afai fo i o se tagata faigaluega na te umia se tulaga maualuga i le Matagaluega, pe aafia fo i o ia i le faia o faaiuga i totonu o le Matagaluega e pei o le tuuina atu o faatonuga i ni tagata faigaluega, e i ai lona malosi e faa faigaluega pe faamalolo ai foi se tagata faigaluega, poo lona tuuina atu o ni fautuaga mo le faa faigaluegaina o ni tagata, e le agavaa fo i lena tagata i ovataimi. O le mataupu i ovataimi a tagata faigaluega a le malo e pei ona saunoa Thompson, e le o se mataupu e fou, ae foliga mai e le o tausisi lava matagaluega a le malo i le tulafono e faafoe ai. O le tulaga muamua lava e tatau ona manino, afai e leai se tupe a lau matagaluega e totogi ai ni ovataimi, e le tatau la ona faia ni ovataimi a tagata faigaluega, o le saunoaga lea a Thompson, faatasi ai ma lona toe faamanatu atu i le Kapeneta le poloaiga a le kovana i le masina o Ianuari, 2013, e taofi ai le toe faia o ni ovataimi a le malo. O le $916,000 lea na faaalu e totogi ai ovataimi a nisi o tagata faigaluega a le malo i ni nai masina e le i mamao atu, o le tele o ia ovataimi sa le tatau ona totogiina. Mo se faataitaiga e pei ona saunoa Thompson, o le toatele o tagata faigaluega a le Matagaluega o le Puipuiga o le Saogalemu Lautele sa maua siaki mo ovataimi e latalata i le ta i $20,000, sa le tatau ona maua e i latou ia siaki nei, ona o nisi o i latou nei o lo o umia tulaga maualuluga i totonu o le Matagaluega, ma o lo o aofia i latou i le faia o faaiuga i totonu o le Matagaluega. Ina ua matou toe suesue i le tulafono e faatatau i ovataimi, ua matou maua ai, o le toatele o tagata mai le Ofisa o Leoleo sa maua siaki tetele e o o atu i le ta i $20,000 mo ovataimmi, sa le tatau ona agavaa i latou nei i siaki tetele, ona o nisi o i latou nei o lo o aofia i le faiga o faaiuga a le matagaluega, ma e le o tusa ai lea tulaga ma le tulafono. o le saunoaga lea a Thompson. O le leai o se naunau e tausisi i tulafono o lo o lima taitaiina ai galuega a le malo, o se tasi lea o tulaga na taua e Thompson e le tatau ona tupu, ina ne i avea le faatamala o le malo e tausisi ma usita i i a tatou lava tulafono ma itu e tulioso mai ai le Feterale ma togi i fafo a tatou tulafono, ae tuu mai a latou tulafono e lima taitaiina ai galuega a le malo. I le saunoaga a le afioga i le alii kovana ia Lolo Moliga e faatatau i lenei mataupu sa ia taua ai e faapea, afai e i ai se manaoga o se matagaluega e faia ni ovataimi, ua ia fautuaina le tatau lea ona faa faigaluega nisi tagata faigaluega fou ina ia faasoa atu ai tupe o lo o totogi i ovataimi ma maua ai foi e isi tagatanuu le avanoa e galulue ai, nai lo le tuuina atu o tupe e totogi ai ovataimi mo se vaega toaititi. A manaomia e lau matagaluega ovataimi, faa faigaluega nisi tagata faigaluega fou, toatele tupulaga talavou o lo o tau saili ni galuega, ae aua le manatu e ave le penefiti i le tagata e toatasi, e le o le manulauti lena o le faigamalo ma le faamoemoe, ae tatau ona faasafua le manuia i tagatanuu uma o le atunuu, o le saunoaga faaiu lea a Lolo e faatatau i lenei mataupu. Feso ota i mai i le tusitala ia [email protected]

11 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 11 OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Pago Pago American Samoa P oloa iga F a alaua itele Vaiaso e Toto ai La au Puipui le Vaomatua Novema 18-23, 2013 TALUAI, o la au Samoa e pei o le Aoa, Ava, U a, Tamanu, Malili, Asi, Au auli, Tava, Poumuli, Maota, Taputo i, Magaui, ma anunu, Futu, To ito i, Niu, Fetau, Pu a, Milo, Fogamamala ma Ifilele sa fa aaoga e fau ai fale, g aosi ai vailaau mo togafitiga o gasegase, e gaosi ai fo i taumafa fa apea ma lavalava mo tagata Samoa i le afe ma afe o tausaga ua m avae; ma TALUAI, o nei la au e matua tele le taua i le Aganu u Fa asamoa; ma, TALUAI, o nei la au Samoa ua fai ma lafitaga o manu/meaola i le vaomatua, atoa ma le puipuiga o punavai ma le suavai, fa apea le fa aitiitia o le tafe ese o ele ele; ma, TALUAI, o nei la au Samoa e matua taua lona aoga i le si osi omaga tulaga ese i Amerika Samoa, e aofia ai v aomatua i mauga maualuluga i Manu a, togatogo Masefau, Nu uuli ma Aunu u, ele ele susu o Leone, atoa ma vaega o le gataifale atoa o Amerika Samoa, ae maise le Vaomatua fa apitoa i Ottoville, Tafuna; ma, TALUAI, o nei la au Samoa o lo o tumau pea le taua ma le aoga i lo tatou ola i aso nei, e pei ona taua foi ma fa aaoga e o tatou tua a, ma, TALUAI, e taua le toto, puipui ma fa asao la au Samoa, o se tala aga/molimau ola, e taua i la tatou aganu u ; ma, TALUAI, ua alaga tatau ma onomea le fa amanatu/fa ataua o la au Samoa ese ese e pei o la au o lo o ola/tutu pu i le Vaomatua i Ottoville e ala i le puipuia o nei la au mai le ta/tu u i lalo faapea le fa aleaga/fa atama ia on a o fauga o fale, pisinisi, auala; ma TALUAI, o le Vaiaso e Toto ai La au o se taimi e fa amanatu/fa ataua ai lo tatou tofi faapea le mitamita ma le fa aaloalo e ala i le totooga ma le si iga o la au e maua mai ai taumafa, vaila au e togafitia ai gasegase, fafie, la au f au fale, lavalava, tupe, fa aasinomaga, ma le matagofie; ma, TALUAI, o Amerika Samoa sa fa aleaga/fa atama ia e se mafui e ma le galulolo ia Setema 29, 2009; ma, TALUAI, o la au o le vaomatua, ua fa atusa o ni fa ailoga o le iai o le fa amoemoe, toe fuata iga, ma le to e afua; ma, TALUAI, o le Vaiaso e Toto ai La au o lo o fa amanatu i le Iunaite Setete o Amerika, Hawaii, Guam ma le tel e o isi atunu u, e aofia ai ma le Malo Tuto atasi o Samoa. O le Masina o Novema i tausaga ta itasi ua fa atulaga/fa ai loga e fa amanatu/fa ataua ai le taimi mo La au ma Vaomatua i Amerika Samoa. O LE MEA LEA, O A U, LOLO M. MOLIGA, Kovana Sili o Amerika Samoa, ua o u fa alauiloa atu o Novema i lona aso 18 e o o i le 23, 2013, i Tutuila ma Manu a, o le Vaiaso e Toto ai La au i Amerika Samoa, ma ou te talosaga atu ai i faia oga, tama ma teine a oga, ma tagatanu u o Amerika Samoa ina ia fa ataua/fa amanatu nei aso e ala i le auai i fuafuaga m a polokalama uma e pei on a fa atulagaina e le Kolisi Tu ufa atasi i Amerika Samoa fa apea le Vaega o Laufanua ma Atina e. Ua ou fa amaonia ma tu uina iai le Fa amaufa ailoga a lo u Ofisa i le aso 15 lenei o Novema i le tau saga o lo tatou Ali i Ia manuia le vaiaso o le fa ataua/fa amanatu o La au ma le Vaomatua i Amerika Samoa. LOLO M. MOLIGA Kovana Sili o Amerika Samoa

12 Page 12 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 tusia Ausage Fausia NOFOVAAVAAIA SASALA MO LE 5 TAUSAGA O le alii mai Fagaalu lea na ia fao faamalosi le $3 mai totonu o le taga a se alii e 14 tausaga le matua i le amataga o le tausaga nei, na magalo i tua i le aso Faraile na te a nei, ina ua manatu le faamasinoga ua lava le umi lea ua oo mai i le taimi nei ua maea ona ia tuliina i le toese i Tafuna, e fai ma ana faasalaga i lenei mataupu. O Kennedy Sasala na molia e le malo i le moliaga mamafa o le faomea i le tulaga lua, atoa ai ma moliaga mama e lua o le gaoi ma le faatupu vevesi i nofoaga faitele, ae i lalo o se maliliega sa latou sainia ma le malo ma talia e le faamasinoga, na ia tali ioe ai i le moliaga o le taumafai e gaoi ni meatotino a se tagata, na toe suia ma teuteu e le malo. A o le i tuuina atu le faasalaga a le faamasinoga mo Sasala i le vaiaso na tea nei, na faatoese le ua molia e tusa ai o lana solitulafono sa fai, ma ia talosagaina ai le faamasinoga mo se isi avanoa mo ia. Na malilie loia a itu e lua ina ia nofovaavaaia Sasala i lalo o poloaiga a le faamasinoga, e aofia ai le faasa lea ona ia toe tagofia le ava malosi. Sa finau foi le loia a le malo ia Julie Pasquale i le faamasinoga, ina ia taofia pea Sasala i le toese se i tatala pe a maea aso fiafia o lo o lumana i nei, aua o le isi lea taimi o le a tele ai le ava malosi e tagofia e tagata, ae na saunoa le alii faamasino sili ia Michael Kruse, afai e le usitai le ua molia i poloaiga ua tuuina atu e le faamasinoga, o lona uiga o le toese mo le isi 5 tausaga. Na taua e le faamasinoga e faapea, o le mataupu ua ta usala ai le ua molia, na afua mai i se faalavelave lea na tula i mai i Fagaalu, ina ua fao e le ua molia le $3 mai totonu o le taga o le ofu a se tamaititi. Na taua e le faamasinoga e faapea, e $30 le tupe na tuu e se tina i lana tama e alu ai e faatau mai se sipika o lana laau pese, ae ina ua oo atu i luma o se faleoloa i Fagaalu le alii na aafia, na alu i ai Sasala ma fesili i ai mo se tupe peitai na tali le tamaititi e leai se tupe. Na aapa Sasala i totonu o le taga a le tamaititi ma aumai i fafo le tupe o lo o i ai, ona ia ave lea o le $3 ae toe tuu le isi vaega i totonu o le taga o le ofu a le tamaititi. Na tamo e le tamaititi i lo latou fale ma ta u i lona tina, ma logo ai loa e le fafine leoleo mo se fesoasoani. Na maua e leoleo Sasala o lo o inu i le Paka i Fagaalu, ma ina ua fesiligia o ia e tusa ai o lenei mataupu, sa teena e le ua molia lona faia o lea gaioiga i le tamaititi na aafia, ma ia taua i leoleo e pepelo le tamaititi, ae ina ua laga e leoleo le taga o le ofu a Sasala sa fai, sa maua ai i totonu o le $3. E 5 tausaga na manatu le faamasinoga e loka ai Sasala, peitai o le a nofovaavaaia o ia mo le 5 tausaga, ae ua lava aso e 322 lea ua uma ona ia tuliina i le toese e fai ma ana faasalaga. Ua faasa ona ia toe tagofia le ava malosi, faasa ona toe eva ma tagata inupia, faasa foi ona toe alu i totonu o ni Fale e faatau ai pia, a ia avea o ia ma tagatanuu lelei e le toe solitulafono. FALEPUIPUI AH SIU MO LE 28 MASINA O le alii talavou mai Vaitogi lea na ta usala i moliaga mamafa e lua o le talepe fale i le tulaga lua atoa ai ma le taumafai e talepe se fale, ua faasala e le faamasinoga maualuga e taofia i le toese i Tafuna mo le 28 masina. Sa manatu le faamasinoga e umi atu se taimi e loka ai Taligalu Ah Siu i le toese, ona o le faalua ai lea ona tulai i le faamasinoga i ituaiga mataupa faapenei, ae talu ai o le talosaga a lana loia ia Joel Shiver ma le loia a le malo ia Tony Graf, ina ia toe tuu se isi avanoa mo le ua molia, na manatu ai loa le faamasinoga ua lava masina e 28 e loka ai o ia i le toese, o se tasi lea o tuutuuga o lana nofovaavaaia e 7 tausaga, ina ia maua ai le avanoa e auai atu ai o ia i aoaoga e fesoasoani ai i le faafitauli o lo o aafia ai o ia, o le fiafia lea e sogisogi i le penisini. Na taua e le alii faamasino sili ia Michael Kruse e faapea, ua latou maua i le mataupu a Ah Siu, o aafiaga o lo o maua ai o ia, o ni mataupu e moomia ai togafitiga faa foma i, ma e tatau ona maua se avanoa e alu ai o ia e auai i ni polokalame o lo o faatino i le falema i, e togafitia ai le faafitauli o lona fiafia lea e senifi ia penisini. Na faailoa e Kruse ia Ah Siu e faapea, afai e loka o ia i le toese mo le 7 tausaga, na te le toe maua se avanoa e sogisogi ai i penisini, e le toe aafia foi lona olaga i se solitulafono, ae afai e tatala o ia i tua, o le a maua le avanoa e togafitia ai le faafitauli o lo o aafia ai o ia. (Faaauau itulau 14) Department of Youth and Women s Affairs P UBLIC N OTICE INVITATION FORMEMBERSHIP AMERICANS AMOA - CONTINUUM OF CARE WORKING GROUP American Samoa is eligible to apply for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The American Samoa Government in partnership with the private sector is encouraged to collaborate in the development of a local strategic plan for CoC. The working group will be a community driven effort in order to apply for CoC funds. The CoC Program is designed to assist individuals (including unaccompanied youth) and families experiencing homelessness and to provide the services needed to help such individuals move into transitional and permanent housing, with the goal of long-term sustainability. Furthermore, the program is designed to promote community-wide planning and strategic use of resources to address homelessness; improve coordination and integration with mainstream resources and other programs targeted to people experiencing homelessness; improve data collection and performance measurement; and allow each community to tailor its program to the particular strengths and challenges within the community. Non-profit groups, faith-based organizations, government agencies and individuals who are interested in being a member are welcome to sign up now. Membership is free! Please feel free to contact the following individuals to sign-up for this community initiative today. All interested parties and individuals must sign up for membership no later than Friday, December 6, Pa u Roy Ausage, Acting Director Department of Youth and Women s Affairs Office Phone: (684) [email protected] and Petti Matila, CPD Coordinator Office of the Governor Office Phone: (684) [email protected] NEWS IN BRIEF Continued from page 8 Rare US drone strike kills 6 in PAKISTAN PARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) A suspected U.S. drone carried out a rare missile strike in northwest Pakistan outside the country s remote tribal region Thursday, killing six people, including at least two Afghan militants, Pakistani police and security officials said. The missiles hit an Islamic seminary in Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that was known to be visited by senior members of the Afghan Haqqani network, an ally of the Taliban and one of the most feared militant groups battling U.S troops in neighboring Afghanistan, the officials said. The two Afghan militants killed in the strike were from the Haqqani network. It was one of the first drone attacks to occur outside Pakistan s semiautonomous tribal region along the Afghan border since the strikes began in the country in 2004 and could increase tension between Islamabad and Washington. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is considered a settled area of Pakistan, meaning it is generally more populated and developed than the tribal region. It was also the first drone attack since the U.S. killed former Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud on Nov. 1 in a strike in the North Waziristan tribal area. Pakistani officials were outraged by the attack because they said it came a day before they planned to invite Mehsud to hold peace talks. Police have arrived at the scene of the seminary which was struck by three missiles Thursday in the Tall area of Hangu, said local police officer Fareedullah, who goes by only one name. The six were badly burned, he said. 12 gold miners dead in Guinea after collapse CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) Residents in a mining town in northern Guinea say at least a dozen people are dead after a landslide in the area where they were searching for gold. Mamadou Diallo, who lives in the town of Siguiri, said Wednesday that eight others were feared dead and five people had been taken to the hospital with injuries. A rescue operation was underway to try and find the eight who remained missing after the collapse early Wednesday but authorities said the hope of finding more survivors was slim. Siguiri is located 435 miles (700 kilometers) north of the capital in this mineral-rich West African country. Expert Mandjan Sano said that most of those searching for gold in the area are artisanal miners who often use outdated techniques that can cause fatal landslides. L.A. man convicted in fake immigrant marriage scheme LOS ANGELES (AP) A Los Angeles man has been found guilty of arranging phony marriages for Nigerians in order for them to become permanent U.S. residents. The U.S. attorney s office says 46-year-old Alake Ilegbameh was convicted Wednesday of six counts of conspiracy to violate immigration laws. He faces up to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors say Ilegbameh recruited six American citizens to marry African immigrants for pay typically $1,000 or more then counseled the couples to open joint bank accounts and take other steps to make the marriages appear genuine. Authorities say Ilegbameh also arranged for the couples to see attorneys to file the immigration paperwork. LG looking into claim that SMART TVs grab user data SEOUL, South Korea (AP) LG Electronics Inc. says it is investigating a claim that some of its smart TVs send information on home viewing habits back to the company without consent. The investigation comes after a British blogger, using network traffic analysis software, detailed how his LG smart TV logged the channels he was watching even after an information collection feature was disabled. The blog said the TV also collected the names of files saved in an external USB hard drive plugged into the TV as well as the TV s unique identification information. The information also appeared to be sent to LG unencrypted. The world s second-largest TV maker said Thursday that customer privacy is its top priority and takes the issue very seriously. Lawsuit claims CAlifornia student was recruited to help in drug bust TEMECULA, Calif. (AP) The mother of a California middle school student has sued the school district, claiming her 14-year-old son was used as bait during an on-campus drug sting. The Riverside Press Enterprise reports Wednesday the suit was filed earlier this month against the Temecula Valley Unified High School District. The paper did not name the student or his parents because they fear for their son s safety. The lawsuit says the incident took place last December when an assistant principal allegedly arranged to have her son help catch a fellow student suspected of selling marijuana on campus. Despite the mother s objections, the drug sting occurred. The suit accuses school officials of recklessness and child endangerment. A school district spokeswoman declined comment. (Continued on page 15)

13 O le Sone Vevela Fa aliliu: Akenese Ilalio Zec Vaega: 42 Fa atalofa atu i le mamalu o le atunu u i lenei taeao fou, malo le soifua, malo fo i le onosa i i faiva ma tiute o lo o feagai ai i lenei aso. E ao ai ona o tatou fa afo i le vi iga ma le fa afetai i le Atua Soifua, ona o Lana tausiga alofa mo i tatou lea o lo o tatou maua ai pea le ola i aso uma. Ae alo maia, o le a toe fa aauau atu la tatou tala fa asolo mo lenei aso. Ina ua feiloa i Nancy Jaax ma le tusi tala o Richard Preston, sa fa amatala uma ane e Nancy le mea na tupu ae maise ai o su esu ega na taumafai i ai le vaega a le Ami a le Malo Tele fa apea le ali i foma i o Eugene Johnson. O su esu ega na fai e Gene Johnson e uiga i le virusi o le Ebola, e le i manuia, ona o le tulaga na o o i ai manuki ia na tui i ai le virusi o le Ebola. E leai se manuki na ola, ae na fiu fo i le ali i foma i e tu u i ai vaila au ina ia mafai ona tete e ese ai le virusi, e le i mafai. Na matua i fa atama ia uma manuki ia na fa aaoga e Johnson e fai ai ana su esu ega. Na pau manuki na ola lelei, o manuki e lua lea e le i tuiina i le virusi o le Ebola. O manuki ia sa i le isi itu e fa afesaga i tonu lava ma le pa o lo o i ai manuki ia sa tui i le virusi o le Ebola, ma sa le i a afia i le virusi. Peita i, i le lua vaiaso talu ona uma le su esu ega ae maise o le fa alavelave lea na tupu i a Nancy, na tula i mai ai se tulaga fa aletonu i totonu o le potu o lo o i ai le virusi o le Ebola. Ua amata ona mu mu mata o manuki e lua ia sa olaola lelei, ua tafe mai i fafo le toto mai i o la isu, ma ua tafe lauga o mai le toto mai i o la tino. O le mea e ofo ai, ona e le i tuiina manuki ia e lua i le virusi o le Ebola, e le i tu u fa atasia fo i ma manuki ia sa faia i ai su esu ega, na pau le feso ota iga sa i ai, o le tu u fa atasi lea i le potu e tasi, ae e ese ese pa na tu u ai manuki ia e lua ma isi manuki ia ua mamate. O lona uiga, afai e tu u se tagata i le isi itu o le potu mai le itu o lo o i ai se tagata ua maua i le AIDS, e le mafai e le AIDS ona alu i luga o le ea ma a afia ai le isi tagata. Ae o le virusi o le Ebola, e mafai ona alu i le ea ma a afia ai le tagata po o le manu, e ala lea i le manavaina o le ea o lo o i ai. E vave ma e le iloa e se tasi le mafua aga, e le iloa fo i e se tasi pe fa apefea ona sao atu le virusi o le Ebola ma a afia ai le isi tagata. E le taumate na manava e manuki ia e lua le ea o le virusi o le Ebola ma mama i ai, o lona uiga e mafai e le Ebola ona pepesi i isi tagata e ala i le ea o lo o manavaina. Ua mautinoa ai nei e le mafai e le virusi o le AIDS ona alu i luga o le ea ma a afia ai le isi tagata, ae o le virusi o le Ebola, ua mautinoa nei e mafai e le Ebola ona fa aaoga le ea e feso ota i ai ma a afia ai isi tagata e pei ona i ai nei manuki ia ua a afia ma ua maua i le virusi o le Ebola. Ua fa asaoina le ola o Nancy mai le Ebola ma o lo o fa aauau pea ona galue i totonu o le nofoaga su esu e a le Ami a le Malo Tele. O Nancy o se tina e galue malosi, e leai ni ona uiga e tusitusi lima i lona to alua ma fa apea atu, Jerry, e tutusa uma lava o ta tulaga, e tutusa fo i le a ofaiga o tupe o lo o ta maua. E le o se tina e fa amaualuga, ae naunau lava lona loto ia fa atino lana galuega a tofia o ia e galue ai i totonu o le Ami a le Malo Tele. E faia pea samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 13 Tala mai SAMOA Mai itulau 9 tamaitai faipisinisi o Christine Ainuu, ia o lo o molia i moliaga e sili atu ma le 10. O nei moliaga e fesootai ma le faaseseina o pepa mo le faaulufaleina mai i le atunuu o oloa gaosi mai fafo i totonu o pusa oloa tetele po o container lea sa aumai ai ma fagu uisiki e le faatagaina. E le gata i lea, o le auina atu i tua o lea container i ni auala faasolitulafono e aunoa ma le totogiina atu o ni lafoga i le Ofisa o le Tiute. E lata i le to a 20 i latou o le a valaauina e molimau e aofia ai nisi o le vaega a le Tiute ma nisi o le Matagaluega o Tupe Maua, atoa ai nisi o malu o le malo faapea nisi o le au faipisinisi. O lo o tetee i laua ua molia i nei moliaga ma e tasi le vaiaso ua fuafua e iloilo ai lea mataupu i le faamasinoga. FAUSIA AOGA FAASEILA I MULINUU O le a amatalia galuega mo le fausia o le nofoaga tutotonu mo aoaoga faaseila a le Iunivesete Aoao o Samoa i se vaega eleele ua maea ona faamautuina mo lea atinae i le peninsula i Mulinuu. O le masina fou o lo o fuafua e amatalia ai lea galuega mo le umi e oo atu i le tausaga ma le valu masina. O lenei nofoaga o le a avea ma se tasi o lala o le Iunivesete Aoao o Samoa ma o le a aofia ai ma le vaega tau mataupu faasaienisi ma le gataifale faapea suesuega faalesiosiomaga. E silia i le to a 40 tamaiti aoga e mafai ona aoaoina i lea nofoaga pe a maea fausia mo le sailia ai o faailoga tikeri ma luga atu tau mataupu faaseila ma suesuega faalesiosiomaga ma gataifale. O lenei atinae o se tasi o poloketi e tolu o lo o faatupeina e le malo Saina lea e aofia ai le fausia o le aoga o le Loto Taumafai faapea le aoga tulaga lua a le afioaga o Siumu lea e faitau miliona lona tau aofai. O eleele i le taufaasiusiuga i Mulinuu lata ane o le Ofisa o le Vaai Tau o lo o i ai le nofoaga mo lea atinae tele a le Iunivesete Aoao o Samoa. MALIU INA UA PA U LE UILA I SE TOFE E 34 tausaga o se alii mai le afioaga o Tiavea na maliu i le vaiaso na tea nei ina ua pa u lana uila vilivae i se tofe i Tiavea ma maliu ai lava. O lea tulaga na faamautu mai e le sui sooupu o leoleo, le susuga i le komesina lagolago ia Fauono Talalelei Tapu, ma na ia taua ai, sa usu lea alii i lana uila vilivae mo galuega i le taeao o le aso Gafua ae tupu ai loa le faalavelave. O lo o masalomia o le saoasaoa tele o le uila na le mafai ai e lea alii - e galue fa akamuta - ona faatonutonu faalelei le alu a le uila, ma tofu ai loa i le tofe. O se taimi o le taeao o le aso Lulu o le vaiaso na tea nei na maua ai le tino maliu o lea alii ma na iloa ai le tele ma le ogaoga o manua i lona ulu. O se tasi lenei o maliu e le o faatonuina ai e leoleo se suesuega e faia i le tino maliu aua o lea ua mautinoa le mafuaaga o lona maliu. The American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture, & Humanities will be hosting its 36th Annual Holiday Music Festival at the Pavilion - Malaeoletalu, Fagatogo on December 16-17, REGISTRATION: Open November 18-22, Museum Compound, Fagatogo. *NO registration via telephone. For more information, Call /4490/5613 This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts

14 Page 14 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 COURT BRIEFS Continued from page 2 Kruse sentenced the defendant to seven years in jail, however execution of sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation for seven years under the condition he serves 28 months in jail. In his first case in 2012, Taligalu broke into a Vaitogi home and struck the homeowner on his face with a computer monitor. The victim told police the defendant also came at him with scissors and tried to stab him but missed. In this latest case, Ah Siu admits that on February 13, 2013 he unlawfully entered a home and removed a gas tank. The court accepted the plea agreement. According to the government s case, the defendant also attempted to break into the hall of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Vaitogi however; a passing vehicle caused the defendant to take off. MAN ENTERS GUILTY PLEA IN ASSAULT CASE A 41-year-old man who rammed his car into another vehicle while a woman and her daughter were in the car has entered into a plea agreement with the government. Latu Paea was facing charges of second degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child and property damage, second degree, but he entered a guilty plea to second degree assault while the remaining charges were dismissed. The incident took place on August 15, 2012 and police received a report about a fight near the Mormon Chapel in Faleniu, requesting police assistance. According to the government s case, a woman was sitting in her vehicle when the defendant, who was upset with her, approached her. Court documents say he approached her pointing his finger at her and yelling. The victim said she believed the defendant was upset that she had gotten into an argument with the defendant. Defendant blamed the victim for not doing her responsibility as a parent, with regards to keeping her children in check. It s alleged the defendant tried to punch the woman twice but missed. Court filings say the defendant then got into his vehicle and rammed his vehicle into the victim s vehicle, causing damage to the right side of the vehicle. At the time, the victim was in her vehicle, along with her daughter and her three-year old grand daughter. It s alleged after the defendant rammed into their vehicle the first time, victims were afraid and drove off to a nearby field to wait for police officers to arrive. Court filings say about three to four minutes after that first impact, as they were waiting in their car in the field, defendant caught up with them and again rammed into their vehicle with his vehicle. This second impact caused damage to the left side of their vehicle. Court filings say the third time the defendant rammed into their vehicle, it caused damage to the back of their vehicle. Defendant admitted he did crash his vehicle into the victim s vehicle. Sentencing is scheduled for December 15, HR system dysfunctional for many years Continued from page 1 HR, who will help with the longstanding issues faced by the hospital. He said another position they are looking at filling is the Salary and Benefits Administrator, who plays a key role in the administration, noting the hospital has lost millions by overpaying top positions, because there was no one to oversee this specific, critical area in the HR Department. There are so many errors with HR that have cost the hospital for over 10 years in excess of millions in overpaying people. Typically, if someone is getting overpaid they re not likely to point that out, however they re quick to point out when they are shorted which happens often. He said that hiring Dr. Mutini means she ll be involved in the restructuring of the hospital. He told Samoa News there will be a major reshuffling within the hospital because if the hospital stays under the same organizational structure, nothing will change, however with the reshuffling, new people will come in and start fresh and new. Another problem the hospital does not manage well is absenteeism which is extremely high according to the CEO and this leads to others collecting overtime. I noticed in certain departments that one person calls in sick every week, and yet nothing has ever been done and they are still given their salary increase. Which is what I always question why are we giving this person a salary raise for only showing up for work if they even show up? And that s not fair for those who work very hard and come to work every day, he said. Fleming further told Samoa News this will change, and they will start evaluating performance, because in the past there have been numerous errors in the manual system and there have been no generated reports with the aspect of staffing and productivity. How many people are being paid who come in to work? And how many people are paid who call in sick? He said it appears that there s probably 20% absenteeism, when it should be less than 5%. It needs to be addressed, we cannot afford to pay for overtime, he said. Fleming noted that Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has some commendable goals for the hospital, yet we cannot achieve them with the current problems at the hospital. He said, My assessment of the hospital s operation is that it is more like that of a third world hospital, instead of a first world hospital with financial support from the US. Major changes are needed. The CEO said the Hospital Board has approved a new pay scale, based on the federal government system. What we were doing in the past was not authorized and using multiple pay scales at the discretion of the former HR person, there was no logic, there was no system, as to how people got paid. There were so many inconsistencies; however with the new approved pay scale we have made it a much more equitable, fairer system based on performance and it will actually benefit the vast majority of employees, especially the low wage earners. They re the ones who will be the first to be transitioned into the new pay scale, because they re the ones who have been neglected the most, and they re the ones struggling more than anyone else. Bottom line is management has the responsibility to take care of its people. You hold them accountable, and that hasn t happened in the hospital, he noted. Regarding Health Information Systems, Fleming said this position has been vacant since last year, yet it s a critical position mandated by federal regulations to be filled and he s looking at hiring someone from the mainland. Having to return OT pay Continued from page 1 (Minimum wage for government employees has increased since 2007 due to federal law, and currently stands at $4.41 per hour, with the next hike of 50 cents per hour set for 2015) The second test eliminates those paid on a salary basis or individuals with a fixed salary and whose compensation cannot be reduced because of variations in the work performed. These employees, explained Thompson, must be paid the full salary for any week in which the employee performs any work. The third test falls in the level of management, whose primary duty is management of the enterprise or directing the work of two or more employees with the authority to hire or fire employees, or whose suggestions and recommendations as to hiring, advancement, promotion or other change of status of other employees are given particular weight. According to the DHR director, this third test is where we have the problem with those individuals who got paid overtime but who are considered exempt, especially with DPS with some employees who received $15,000, $18,000 or $20,000 for overtime for 2009 to He said it was found that there was a misinterpretation of the law in this case, therefore there were many people who received checks who should not have received them; however he didn t reveal the total number of people in question. Thompson said when they spoke with the federal officials from USDOL, who arrived last week on island about this issue of individuals getting checks which they were not entitled to the federal response was the case [is] closed. Thompson recalled his reaction was, No, it isn t. Not in our mind because it is our dollars, not federal dollars. He told directors that the whole idea for the visit from the feds is because they want to make sure that you and I are in compliance. And, if that was federal money, I can assure you, they will come after you until the day you die you re going to pay for it, he informed cabinet members. So what works for them, works for us. It behooves us to be in compliance. Asked later if DHR will seek reimbursement from those individuals paid under the USDOL case who were not entitled to overtime, Thompson said the matter is under review at this time and no decision has been made. TALA O FAAMASINOGA Mai itulau 12 O isi poloaiga o le nofovaavaaia a Ah Siu ua tuuina atu e le faamasinoga, o le aua lea nei ona toe solia se tulafono, aua nei ona toe tagofia le ava malosi poo fualaau faasaina, ua faasa foi ona ia toe faaaogaina isi ituaiga mea oona e pei o penisini ma karasini. Afai ete le usitai i poloaiga ua tuuina atu ia te ia, o le a toe taofia oe i le toese ma lua mafuta ai lava ma le pule o le falepuipui mo le isi 7 tausaga o lou olaga, o le saunoaga lea a Kruse ia Ah Siu.

15 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 15 NEWS IN BRIEF Continued from page 12 $3M program for shooter tested in capital SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Sacramento police officers and firefighters are using a $3 million video simulation developed by the Army to practice for the possibility of gunmen terrorizing the capital city. Thirty-six emergency workers huddled over computer screens during a demonstration Wednesday, pretending they were inside a hotel near the Capitol. They could open every virtual door and enter every room, just as if they were searching for a real shooter. It s the first time emergency responders have tried the training system, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Sacramento Police Officer Michele Gigante likened it to playing Call of Duty, with all the first-person realism and adrenalin rush. Officials say emergency workers nationwide will be able to train using the software. Bolivia s leader decrees special bonus LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) President Evo Morales decreed Wednesday that an extra month s wages should be paid as a special Christmas bonus to all salaried workers in Bolivia, at state agencies, in the military and police and in the private sector. Bolivian law already requires that salaried workers get a month s pay as a December bonus, so they will now get triple their pay for that month. The leftist president said he made the surprise announcement because his government s goal is to reduce poverty and more equally distribute the wealth in one of South America s poorest nations. The economy is good and the country s growth should return to the workers with a double Christmas bonus, Morales said during a meeting with union leaders. Bolivia s Federation of Private Companies vehemently objected, calling the decree politicking in a statement that said it bodes terrible for future investment. Costco apologizes for calif. bible flap SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) A Costco store in Southern California drew some unwanted attention this week after labeling some of its Bibles as fiction. The Los Angeles Times reports Wednesday that Discovery Church pastor Caleb Kaltenbach recently came across the Bibles with Fiction written on the price tag while shopping for a gift at a Costco store in Simi Valley. He took a photo and posted it on social media with the comment: Costco has Bibles for sale under the genre of FICTION Hmmmm... Costco has since apologized, saying in a statement a distributor mislabeled a small percentage of Bibles before they were sent to the store. The company said it is correcting the mistake for future distribution. man sentenced for raping burglary victim ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A Minnesota man who raped a woman he had previously burglarized has been sentenced to more than 25 years in prison. Curtez Deshawn Graham, 18, of St. Paul was sentenced Tuesday. We seldom see crimes as completely inhumane as this, prosecutor C. Ryan Tennison said in court. This man raped the victim in her home in front of her loved one.... (He) earned every day of this lengthy prison sentence. Graham pleaded guilty Sept. 30 to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree burglary and kidnapping, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. Authorities said Graham was on furlough from prison when he removed an ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts, returned to the home of his prior burglary victim and raped her in June. The victim told police that Graham was mad with her because she sent him away for 14 months. Defense attorney Murad Mohammad said that Graham never minimized or deflected his behavior. Hollywood set catches fire in Thailand BANGKOK (AP) A fire broke out on the set of Hollywood movie The Coup being filmed in Thailand, starring Owen Wilson and Lake Bell. A spokesman for the film s local production company said Thursday that the fire occurred Wednesday evening after the day s shoot was finished. Neither of the two stars were on the set and there were no injuries. The spokesman said that prior to the fire the cast had filmed an explosion scene inside an old building. Police said they suspected the special effects had caused an electrical short circuit that caused the fire. The film is about an American family living in Southeast Asia that gets caught in the middle of a coup. The film also stars Pierce Brosnan, who is due to arrive in Thailand next month. Panama sets $1M fine for North Korea ship PANAMA CITY (AP) The lawyer for the crew members of a North Korean ship seized by Panama says the Panamanian government wants $1 million to allow the vessel to leave. Attorney Julio Berrios says a delegation of seven North Korean diplomats was informed of the amount in a meeting with Panamanian officials Wednesday. He says North Korea considers the fine unjust. Panamanian authorities previously said they would impose an unspecified fine because the ship s crew threatened Panama s security by not declaring it was transporting weapons. The ship was headed from Cuba to North Korea when it was seized by Panamanian authorities, who said they suspected it carried drugs. Officials say the ship carried two Cuban fighter jets in perfect condition, contradicting Cuba s explanation that the cargo included obsolete defensive weapons. National Diabetes Month November, 2013 Theme: A Day in the Life of Diabetes Overview of Diabetes Month 2013 One of the primary objectives of our leading national association, the American Diabetes Association is to raise awareness and understanding of diabetes, its consequences, management and prevention of type 2 diabetes. We as providers at the medical center also operate on the similar objectives. Overall Messages Diabetes doesn t stop. It is 24/7, 365 days a year. People with diabetes are faced with numerous challenges in managing their diseases on a daily basis. Diabetes professionals in every health care setting strive to provide the necessary tools to assist those with the condition to live a productiv e life. About Diabetes Prevalence Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes; another 79 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes Here in our islands diabetes progresses at an average rate of 15 new cases/month; with a growing number of those with prediabetes ; overall it is estimated about 7,000 people with diagnosed diabetes, yet still a large number out there yet to be diagnosed. Remember, we have a high volume of people with obesity. The Toll on Health Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults The rate of amputation for people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nerve damage that could result in pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion, sexual dysfunction and other nerve problems. Cost of Diabetes Taking care of an inpatient diabetic is very, very costly with length of stay tends to be prolonged due to multiple complications such as infection, surgery, delay in healing process, etc. Majority of inpatients at any given time on our medical/surgical units are diabetics; those with complications tend to require a lot of different medications, supplies and require the help of a multipdisciplinary team: Program: On every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00am diabetes education will be provided (in the waiting area outside of pharmacy) by a diabetes educator. Free blood glucose testing and blood pressure checks will be provided by LBJ diabetes education, and its partners. More personalized counseling and further assessment will be provided for those at risk or those with significant high sugars and blood pressures. Polokalame mo le lautele: O le masina o Novema ua faatauaina ai le gasegase ole suka ma e taalo atu ai i le mamalu ole atunuu o loo feafioa i i le maota o gasegase ia faaavanoa lou taimi e faalogologo ai ini aoaoga taua, mo lea gasegase i Aso Lua ma Aso Tofi o vaiaso taitasi i le itula e 9:00 i le taeao. Ma le Faaloalo, Faafetai LBJ Tropical Medical Center

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