LBJ HR system dysfunctional for many years, says ... - Samoa News

Buckle up!FatalitiesCraSHES2 931LOCAL HIGHWAYS01-01-13 to dateoffice of highway safetyLOCAL HIGHWAYS01-01-13 to dateAP Source — MikeIupati’s injured knee“is not torn”…B1ASCC Student Government AssociationSecretary Anna Sewell (left) andTreasurer Visa Vaiau will attend theNational Center for Student Leadershipfall 2013 conference this weekend inNew Orleans. Approximately 700 studentleaders from across the nation willattend the conference where what theylearn will allow them to return to theirschools better equipped to contribute totheir campus and to their communities.Read story inside today’s issue.[photo: J. Kneubuhl]online @ samoanews.comCYMKSauni Lolo faamalosianisi fautuaga mole Ofisa Aoga… 10Daily Circulation 7,000PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA Thursday, November 21, 2013$1.00Some employees mayhave to return OT payDHR found they were not entitledusing the “Three-Test for exemption”by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News CorrespondentSome government employees who received overtime paymentunder the agreement between ASG and the U.S. Departmentof Labor were not entitled to such payments, accordingto DHR Director Sonny Thompson, and the Department ofHuman Resources has not yet reached a decision on whether togo back and collect this money from the affected employees.This was revealed by the DHR Director during his powerpoint presentation at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, when he wastalking about hiring practices and overtime issues—such asthose 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 policeofficers with the Department of Public Safety. According toUSDOL, investigators had found that some employees’ overtimehours were paid at a straight-time rate instead of at oneand one-half times their regular rates of pay, as required by thefederal Fair Labor Standards Act.During the cabinet meeting, Thompson shared informationon the “Three-Test for exemption” to determine thoseemployees who are not entitled to overtime.The first test eliminates individuals with a “minimum salarylevel” of $380 per week or above.It used to be at $455 a week, but “it has been reduced by thefederal [government] because of our minimum wage,” he saidand stressed that anyone “who makes $380 or more a week isconsidered exempt and... that means they are not eligible forovertime.”(Continued on page 14)LBJ HR system dysfunctional formany years, says hospital chiefMillions of dollars wasted on overpaying top positionSby Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-LuamanuSamoa News ReporterLBJ Medical Center has a “dysfunctionalHR system” and “one of the biggest problemsat the hospital is the high rate of absenteeism,”said Joseph Davis Fleming, the LBJ MedicalCenter Chief Executive Officer. This informationwas revealed in response to Samoa Newsquestions regarding some of the hospital’s topmanagement positions that are still vacant.Fleming has been wearing several hatsfor the last few months, aside from being theCEO — filling in, while looking for qualifiedpersonnel. Currently he is Acting Chief FinancialOfficer (CFO), Acting Director for HumanResources (HR), and Acting Director of HealthInformation Systems (HIS).He also served as the Grants Administratorat one time, but has recently hired MickMcCuddin to fill the position. According toFleming, McCuddin has worked for the territoryin past years and will be giving LBJ hisconsiderable expertise in this area. He said thehospital lost millions of dollars because therewas no one in this important position to securefunding for current health care programs or toattain more funding for new programs.The LBJ CEO told Samoa News he’ll also bebringing in a new management team of expertsin the area of Human Resources, explainingthat the hospital’s workforce is large and yetthere’s only four people working in that department,which has created a “dysfunctional humanresources” situation. He said data processing andthe manual system are both filled with errors.Fleming said right now the managementteam is wasting time trying to fix the systeminstead of working to better the system. He alsosaid numerous errors in the HR system are inviolation of labor laws, due to the ineffectivemanagement of the hospital workforce.“People wonder why there are problems,because we (the hospital) don’t do a good jobwith training and — again in violation of federallaws — it puts the hospital at risk if HumanResources problems are not fixed.“We’ve been sanctioned by the federal governmentalmost every year because of theseviolations, and eventually the feds will be tiredof seeing the same mistakes repeated over andover... 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)CYMKMembers 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 topay 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]

Page 2 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013NOW SERVINGBREAKFAST & LunchMON-SAT From 7am - 2pmOasis for Fine Dining… monday-saturday 5pm to 9pm happy hour from 4:30pm to 9pmwith free pupus!private party& banquet roomsavailablebar & restaurantMON thru SAT • 7AM-2AMtelephone @ 699-6231Located in Samoa SportS BuiLding, airport rdMOMENTS IN TIMEThe History Channel On Dec. 2, 1777, legend has it that Philadelphiahousewife and nurse Lydia Darragh singlehandedlysaves the lives of Gen. George Washingtonand his Continental Army. She made notes when sheoverheard the British planning a surprise attackand got them to Washington. On Dec. 6, 1921, The Irish Free State, comprisingfour-fifths of Ireland, is declared,ending a five-year Irish struggle for independencefrom Britain. The Irish Free State was renamedEire, and is now called the Republic of Ireland. On Dec. 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to theU.S. Constitution is ratified, bringing an endto the prohibition of alcohol. Prohibition didlittle more than slow the flow of booze, and bootleggerslike Al Capone built criminal empires outof illegal distribution. On Dec. 4, 1945, the U.S. Senate approvesU.S. participation in the United Nations. TheU.N. allowed world leaders to observe each otheras never before, as in the 1961 incident when Russianleader Nikita Khrushchev presented a spectacleby pounding his table with his shoe foremphasis during a U.N. debate. On Dec. 3, 1979, the last Pacer rolls offthe assembly line at the American Motors Corp.(AMC) factory. In 1975, the ads said, “When youbuy any other car, all you end up with is today’scar. When you get a Pacer, you get a piece oftomorrow.” Today polls and experts agree: ThePacer was one of the worst cars of all time. On Dec. 7, 1982, the first execution bylethal injection takes place at the state penitentiaryin 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 “truthserum” when administered in lesser doses.by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-LuamanuSamoa News ReporterMAN WHO TOOK $3 RELEASEDAFTER SERVING 322 DAYS IN JAILA man accused of taking three dollars froma 14-year-old’s pocket, and who pled guilty toattempted-stealing, was released from jail onTuesday after serving 322 days — over oneyear — behind bars.The government first charged KennedySasala with second-degree robbery, misdemeanorstealing and public peace disturbance,but in a plea agreement with the governmenthe pled guilty to attempted stealing, which wasamended from second-degree robbery, whilethe remaining charges were dismissed.Sasala apologized for violating the law andasked the court for a second chance. DefenseCounsel had agreed with Prosecutor JuliePasquale to place the defendant on probation oncondition that Sasala not consume any alcoholwhile on probation. However, Pasquale askedthe court to have Sasala remain in custody untilthis holiday season is over, saying there wouldbe a lot of temptation for Sasala to consumealcohol during the holidays.Chief Justice Michael Kruse sentenced thedefendant to five years in jail however the sentencewas suspended and he was placed on probationfor five years under certain conditions.Kruse said the victim was given $30 from hismother to purchase a speaker, however whenthe victim reached a store in Faga’alu the defendantasked the victim if he had any money, andthe victim replied ‘no’. According to the case,Sasala then reached into the victim’s pocket andtook out $3.00, putting the rest back into thevictim’s pocket. The victim ran back home andtold his mother what had happened. His motherthen contacted the police for assistance.Sasala was ordered not to consume alcohol,nor congregate with people who were drinkingalcohol and he’s also ordered not to enter intobars or taverns and must remain a law-abidingcitizen.AH SIU JAILED FOR 28 MONTHSA man whose been convicted twice beforethe court for burglary incidents was sentencedto serve 28 months in the latest case against him.Taligalu Ah Siu of Vaitogi in this latest caseis accused of unlawfully entering a home andremoving a gas tank. He was initially chargedwith second-degree burglary, attempted burglaryand stealing.However, in a plea deal with the government,Ah Siu pled guilty to the burglary countswhile the remaining charge was dismissed. Lastmonth when this matter was first brought beforethe court for sentencing, the defendant pleadedwith the court for a second chance so he cancomplete his education and search for employment,so he can render care for his mother andfamily.Ah Siu apologized to the court for violatinghis probation and also sought forgiveness fromthe victim in this latest case.Kruse prior to sentencing said the defendantneeds help and he must undergo counseling.He said that part of the problem is that he usesthe gas tank to sniff gas. Kruse further said, ifthe defendant is jailed for seven years, he willnot sniff gas anymore and he would not be introuble anymore with the law. However, if he’sreleased from jail he will have the opportunity toundergo the counseling and help that he needs.(Continued on page 14)(c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.ALL PUZZLE ANSWERs on page 14

Page 4 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013COOLCOOL StuffPragmatic Manu’aBlessing ceremonyfor ‘BLAST project’(BASED ON PRESS RELEASE) — American SamoaTelecommunications Authority (ASTCA) will host tomorrowa ‘Blessing Ceremony’ for the long anticipated BroadbandLinking the American Samoa Territory (BLAST) Project. Theceremony starts at 10a.m. at the Michels Corporation Lot inTafuna, 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 avital part in initiating and carrying out this project. The engineeringteam from Michels Corporation, the contracted offisland company which will head the construction of the fiberoptic cable system to local homes and businesses, has arrivedin American Samoa and are ready to start drilling.The Blessing Ceremony will serve, as a public notice initself that BLAST is now only a few steps closer to launch andhigh-speed broadband Internet services will be available on ourisland soon Funded with federal stimulus money, the BLASTproject will transform the islands’ legacy copper network intoan advanced Fiber-To-The-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure.In other words, said ASTCA, residents as well as businessesin American Samoa will have access to this world-class network,which will deliver significantly high-speed data, next generationvoice services and new Internet protocol television (IPTV).The BLAST Project will bring many opportunities of advancementto 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 96799.Contact us by Telephone at (684) 633-5599Contact us by Fax at (684) 633-4864Contact us by Email at samoanews@samoatelco.comNormal 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 requeststo the Publisher at the address provided above.By Barry Markowitz, Special for Samoa NewsGovernment guys tolerate me, and of course more accurately, generally savor just avoidingme. 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 sectorjournalists 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 officialwalked up to me at an outdoor eating area and talked specifics, and talked direct about his loveand concern for Manu’a.Wow how refreshing to hear the government is genuinely motivated to really do somethingfor 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 thenLt. 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 2005.Tufele and my fa’a aiga mom, Alofaaga Tialavea Manumaleuga were my original ties toManu’a. Subsequently, I walked backwards into my wife’s historic tie to Manu’a, as her greatgreat 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 helpthe people of Manu’a. He, in turn, was blown away because I had immediate suggestions andimages on my iPhone backing them up.What? How would a cheeky Palagi journalist know anything? Back in the day, GovernorLutali asked me to write an economic treatise on innovative ways to help American Samoa (heknew I had a degree in Economics from UCLA). The concepts apply today as they did then toboth Tutuila and the Manu’a Islands.I then asked the government guy—Gus Hanneman—what kind of recyclable trash theisland 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 bySam, owner of Batchstove. Sam makes them out of enthusiastically consumed aluminum beerbottles (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 thatlittle home made stove? And they can make that stove at home or in a small workshop withoutexpensive tools, machinery and imported materials? They can send those empty ships andplanes back with these cool lightweight practical little stoves?”“Yup, yup, yup, yup and more yups. Instead of being a government looking to hit homeruns with overseas Palagi and Asian companies, why don’t you give the Manu’a People thepower to create their own future and to market to other Pacific Islanders, or put a fa’a Samoaflair spin on it, and market back to the US Mainland and Hawaii? You and I both know thatSamoans 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 alwaysbe there to help them on the phone or online.This is how things work successfully in the private sector — through relationships. Samcontinues to create new designs and accessories, as he a Coolio kine guy. It can happen withtasty coconut smoked Manu’a fish. Any family cottage industry can become an empire. Thailandis even selling coconut based BBQ charcoal to Hawaii. Thailand selling coconut BBQcharcoal 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 wasaware of Samoa’s (Samoa i Sisifo) US funded efforts to create fuel with coconut oil? He wasnot aware of it.Well, maybe the US Government should place their investment with Manu’a too, insteadof the Territory (and probably the US Government indirectly) subsidizing the shipment ofexpensive diesel fuel to run generators for the Manu’as. Diesel generators and even dieselcars/ trucks are commonly run around the World with vegetable oil, recycled used restaurantcooking oils... and yes, that includes the potential use of coconut oil. Solar panels are probablythe best primary home source of electricity, but it seems generators will always be a requirementfor 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 reducethe Territory’s dollars going overseas.Leone Saimini? Samoa’s Grant Percival has made amazing flour from locally grown islandagriculture 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 timeis up, uma lava pizza. It’s in your hands, not mine. You can’t outbid the huge bucks paid to meweekly by the Samoa News. So get on it, help our beloved Manu’a on your own, or order meanother slice — with pepperoni this time, pretty please.”Did I get my second slice? The Manu’a tale continues. You Coolios will always be the firstto know. Bless Manu’a, bless all of Samoa, and bless the Italia for inventing pizza.

samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 5GOLF TOURNAMENTSATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2013Iliili Golf Course • Tee off @ 7:00amGOLFVICTORY CHAPELCHRISTIAN CHURCHPsalm 98: 1 • Psalm 20: 5THANKSGIVINGGreat andExcitingPRIZES• Blue Sky mobilephones• Cases of Wahoo• Turkey forThanksgiving• RT Tickets to SamoaMAJOR SPONSOR:• 3 MAN SCRAMBLE (Best Ball) $250• INDIVIDUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 25• SPECIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 20• CLOSEST TO THE HOLE• LONGEST DRIVEIn addition to allthese exciting prizes,a delicious and tastyPURPOSE:• Church Building and Facilities Expansion and Remodeling.• Hope House @ Fatuoaiga (Home for theelderly & children with special needs) andthe American Samoa Red Cross.Breakfastand Lunchwill be served!Contacts:Rev. Si’ulagi Solomona Jr. @ 258-3120,Sofa’i Solomona @ 258-1065,Sam Puletasi @ 258-5480 orSenia Togiola @ 252-2930HAPPY THANKSGIVINGMANUIA TELE LE ASO FA’AFETAI!God Bless and Thank You!

Page 6 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013ASCC/SGA studentsto attend conferencefor “student leaders”ASCC Student Government Association adviser Maxine Tuiolemotu (center) confers with SGASecretary Anna Sewell (left) and Treasurer Visa Vaiau, who will attend the National Center forStudent Leadership fall 2013 conference this weekend in New Orleans.[photo: J. Kneubuhl]By James Kneubuhl,ASCC Press OfficerTwo members of the StudentGovernment Association(SGA) at the American SamoaCommunity College (ASCC)will represent the Territory atthe National Center for StudentLeaders (NCSL) fall 2013 conference,which will take placebetween November 21st and24th in New Orleans.SGA Secretary AnnaSewell and SGA TreasurerVisa Vaiau have been chosenby their peers to attend theevent, after which they willhave earned the designation ofCertified Student Leaders.The NCSL anticipatesapproximately 700 studentleaders from across the nationwill attend the conference,FAASILASILAGA O LEFA’APA’IAINA O LE MALUMALU“O LE ALA O LE OLA” EFKAS I NU’UULIO le a le toe tofi tofa pa’ia o le Atunu’u, o le a le toe tapu’e fo’ifa’alaauola paia fa’autigata, ma mamalu fa’aetegata o le Atunu’u. Aua o leaua tu La, fanola tupua tofia o le Atunu’u, e leai se vave, a’o se atoa i le liuo 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 ouluafaigamalo, Mamalu i le tapuaiga ia Pule ma Tumua, Tulou. Mamalu i leaufaigaluega a le Atua o lo o tapuaia faiva o le Atunu’u, Tulou. A’o leneifa’asilasilaga e fa’asino tonu i alo ma fanau a lenei nu’u o Nu’uuli, o lo’oalala ma papa’a’ao i Samoa nei ma atunu’u e mamao, e fa’apea: UAMAE’A NEI ONA FA’AFOUINA LE MALUMALU TAPUA’I O LEALA O LE OLA, EFKAS I NU’UULI, LE MAOTA O LE ATUA ETAPUA’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 leaua atoa li’o o le masina. Sa tapua’i fo’i le fe’epo a’o alofaiva le tama oLeatonie, 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 itulae 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 FaletuaAfioga Ma’opu, Taumafaalofi ma Usoali’iFetalaiga i le To’afa, mamalu i le Ekalesia EFKAS i Nu’uuliwhich will mark the 75thAssembly of the organization.Participating students will havea choice of 20 guest speakersto choose from, who will covertopics ranging from goal settingto team-building, negotiation,storytelling, the art of listening,critical thinking, meeting management,and more.“The learning that takesplace at NCSL enables eachindividual to return to campusbetter equipped to contribute totheir campus and to their communities,”explains the officialNCSL press release for theevent.For Visa Vaiau, 19, theconference means a chance todevelop her leadership skills.“I’m grateful to attend thisconference, and I hope to gainas much knowledge and leadershipskills as possible sothat I can practice these skillsin the near future,” she said.Visa has gone through the listof presenters and topics, andselected three she considersmust-sees – “How to Deal withDifficult People” by NancyHunter Denney, “Money Managementfor Leaders” by PeterBielagus, and “Stop SettingGoals: Start Achieving Them”by Hoan Do.In addition to her duties asSGA Secretary, Anna Sewell,21, currently plans to majorin Nursing. She considersattending the NCSL event a“golden opportunity,” andlike Visa she intends to gatheruseful ideas on leadership.“This conference will teach mehow to become a better leaderand how to teach others,”Anna reflected. Both Anna andVisa were selected on the basisof their commitment and dedicationto their respective positionswithin the SGA.The National Center for StudentLeadership was foundedin 1978 to provide leadershipdevelopment opportunities tocollege student leaders andcampus professionals fromacross the country and aroundthe world. The Center equipscollegiate student leaders andtheir advisors with comprehensivetools to achieve theirleadership potential and positivelyimpact their campusesand communities throughpractical, focused training andopportunities to collaboratewith other student leaders.Over the years, the NCSLhas become best known forits bi-annual leadership conferencesevery spring andfall. Each conference offersin-depth workshops on leadershiptopics chosen for theirrelevance to the skills youngleaders need to succeed oncampus and beyond.For more information onthe NCLS, visit http://www.ncslcollege.com

NEWS IN BRIEFMalala makes an officials drop a 10-foot-tall Pfizer to closeIMPASSIONEd plea lighted crayon because the city manufacturingfor child education is home to Crayola Inc. plant in Puerto RicoBRUSSELS (AP) — In a MalTA postpones SAN JUAN, Puerto Ricospeech accepting the EU’s top citizenship sale (AP) — Pfizer Inc. says it willhuman rights award, Pakistani after opposition close one of its three manufacturingplants in Puerto Rico byschoolgirl Malala Yousafzai has VALLETTA, Malta (AP) —urged the 28-nation bloc to better Malta has indefinitely postponed 2017. The world’s largest drughelp millions of children who are implementing a law to sell its maker says the manufacturingdenied a formal education. citizenship — and entrance of products at its plant in theAt the age of 16, Malala into the European Union — for north coastal city of Barcelonetawill be moved elsewhere.confidently addressed the 650,000 euros ($850,000) followingmassive outcry on the The company says the closurepacked legislature Wednesday,demanding that leaders do more Mediterranean island. is linked to the loss of patentto provide these children with The government backpedaledeven after Parliament(Continued on page 8)exclusivity and improved man-“a book and a pen” and betterprotect the many girls who face passed the legislation and PresidentGeorge Abela signed it,violence for seeking them.Malala was wounded during an indication that Prime MinisterJoseph Muscat was feelinga Taliban assassination attemptin Pakistan last year because the heat from the opposition,of her outspoken objection to unions and ordinary Maltesean interpretation of Islam that — and some negative internationalmedia reports.keeps women at home and barsgirls from school.The proposal would haveAfter the applause died allowed foreigners to buydown at the European Parliamentand Malala received her any residency or investmenta Maltese passport withoutSakharov Prize, European requirements, thus gaining covetedentrance and residency inParliament President MartinSchulz thanked her for “an any of the other 27 EU memberextraordinary moment.” states. The government hadIndia: Gold bars predicted the proposal wouldworth $1M found bring in 30 million euros ($40in plane lavATORy million) annually and help easeNEW DELHI (AP) — the country’s deficit.Cleaners found a stash of 24 But Muscat told Parliamentgold bars worth more than $1.1 late Tuesday that the governmentwas ready to hold talksmillion hidden in an airplanelavatory after a flight from with the opposition NationalistParty to negotiate changesBangkok arrived in easternIndia, officials said Wednesday. to the law, and hinted that heThe Jet Airways plane had would seek a referendum if nolanded in Kolkata and was agreement is found.being cleaned before a scheduledflight to Patna when the opposed the law, vowing toThe Nationalists had Thank You,cleaners found two bags with repeal it if they returned tothe gold stashed inside, Customsofficial Mona Priyazenshipssold. In a statement,power and revoke all the citidarshinisaid. Priyadarshini the Nationalists welcomed thesaid the gold bars weighed shelving of the legislation andaround 1 kilogram each. Customsofficials confiscated the amendments requiring the newsaid they were ready to discussstash and are investigating. passport holders to have Malteseresidency and offer job-cre-India is one of the world’sbiggest consumers of gold. The ating investment opportunities.government increased the gold Swiss leadersimport duty, which officials say oppose goldhas encouraged smuggling. reserves initiativePa. town to ring GENEVA (AP) — Swissin New Year with ministers are opposing a plangiant mushroom to haul back the country’s goldKENNETT SQUARE, Pa. reserves stored abroad.(AP) — A town near Philadelphiathat’s famous for fungus Federal Council, whichThe seven-member rulingwill ring in 2014 with a giant includes the president, agreedmushroom.Wednesday that it opposes theThe 700-pound, stainless popular referendum expectedsteel toadstool will be lowered to go before voters within severalyears. A “yes” vote wouldfrom a crane Dec. 31 as residentsof Kennett Square count ban the Swiss National Bankdown to the New Year. The from selling any gold reservesPhiladelphia Inquirer reports or storing them abroad, andthe sculpture will be more than require at least 20 percent of its7 feet wide and 8 feet tall. assets to be held in gold.Kennett Square calls itself The ministers said in a statementWednesday that parlia-the mushroom capital of theworld because area farms ment should recommend thataccount for about half of U.S. people vote “no” and therebymushroom production. avoid restricting the centralThe mushroom joins a slew bank’s ability to keep pricesof quirky New Year’s Eve traditionsin Pennsylvania. and growing.stable and the economy healthyIn Bethlehem, residents celebrateJan. 1 by lowering an of the country’s gold reservesThe bank has said that most85-pound statue of a MarshmallowPeep, since the treats nearly a third is stashed in Eng-are stored in Switzerland, butare made locally. In Easton, land and Canada.GENERAL ADMISSION $20 / PER PERSONFRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH, 2013Starts @ 6 PMsamoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 7E valani’sBook YourChristmasParties &SpecialEvents NOW.• Party Plans To Fit Your Budget• Discounted Drinks & BeerSpecials• Extended Happy Hoursin Pago• No “House Fee”• Karaoke & DiscoDancing• Live Band By RequestCall 633-7777/252-2588/254-6444American Samoa GovernmentAMERICAN SAMOAENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYPUBLIC ADVISORYThe public is cautioned to avoid swimming, fishing andrecreational use of the Avau Cove due to the presence of adeceased whale on the reef flat. Given the large size of thedecomposing animal and its proximity to shore, the ASEPAadvises the public to refrain from swimming, fishing and otherrecreational activities in the Avau Cove as the water may posea risk to human health. This advisory will remain in effect untilthe carcass has been removed.Ameko Pato, DirectorAS-Environmental Protection AgencyTOP SIRLOIN STEAK OR POT ROASTFor more information/reservation call: 633-7777 • 252-2588 • 254-6444

Page 8 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013➧ NEWS IN BRIEF…Continued from page 7Kevin Chenais sits in his mobility scooter in front of an ambulance at St Pancras in London,Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. Kevin, who suffers from a medical condition will travel by ambulanceand ferry back to France.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)Too fat to fly? StrandedFrenchman’s long ordealLONDON (AP) — He’s been turned downby planes, trains and even a cruise ship in hisquest to return home — and his family says it’sbecause he has been deemed too fat to travel.Now Frenchman Kevin Chenais’ long andfitful journey is coming to an end.Chenais, who weighs 500 pounds (230 kilograms),says he has been repeatedly refusedtransport over the past two weeks as he soughtto get home to France from the United States.P&O Ferries finally offered to take him in anambulance across the English Channel onWednesday, the final hurdle keeping him fromhis home near the Swiss border.“It’s terrible. It’s discrimination. It was veryhard, tiring and a big waste of money for myparents,” the 22-year-old told RTL radio onWednesday.Slumped over in his mobility scooter, he saidhe was exhausted just before being loaded intothe ambulance.Chenais’ mother was outraged by the treatmenther son allegedly received, saying he wasdiscriminated against because of his weight.“It’s not the fault of my son to be big. Hehas 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 Airwaysrefused to honor his return ticket from theUnited States, where he spent months receivingmedical care for a hormone imbalance.“When we talked about this problem withBritish Airways that Kevin was too fat ... (theysaid) abandon any intention of coming back toFrance,” Kevin’s father, Rene, told RTL Radio.“From the fact of his incapacity, his obesity, hewas not considered to be a normal being, butmore like a problem.”BA acknowledges that it refused to let Chenaisboard the plane, but said confidentialityrules prevent it from saying why. BA insistedthat it does not discriminate against customersfor any reason and that the airline provides theoption of an extra seat to people who contactthem with concerns about seat width.“We respect the privacy of the customer socannot comment on any changes in circumstancebetween arrival and departure dates,” thecompany said in a statement. British Airwaysdeclined to say what the changes in circumstancehad been.Chenais said Carnival Cruises also rejectedhis request for a cabin on a trans-Atlanticvoyage. The company declined to comment.Virgin Atlantic airlines stepped in to fly himto London, he said. The company refused tocomment on the topic to The Associated Press.From London, Chenais had planned to takethe Eurostar train home. But Eurostar refusedto allow him on board because of safety rulesgoverning travel through the Channel Tunnel:The high-speed train that connects England toFrance and Belgium requires all passengers tohave the ability to be safely evacuated — andChenais’ obesity-caused lack of mobility madethat impossible. “This is a terrible situation,”Eurostar said in a statement. “Our heart goesout to Mr. Chenais and his family who areunderstandably desperate to return home afterbeing stranded in America.”Eurostar paid for the family’s hotel room andworked with P&O to find a solution.“It’s difficult to imagine the frustrationthat this gentleman has gone through,” P&Ospokesman Chris Laming said in a statement.“But for us, it’s very straightforward, as we areset up to carry people who have medical needs.”The ferry company took Chenais andhis family across the English Channel lateWednesday to Calais. From there, the family wasdriving to the French town of Ferney-Voltaire,740 kilometers (460 miles) to the southeast.“I am waiting to see my sisters and the otherpeople in my family,” Chenais told RTL radio.“I couldn’t have imagined this for us.”ufacturing efficiency. Pfizer employs nearly 2,700 people at itsthree manufacturing plants and commercial offices on the Caribbeanisland. The company said Wednesday that it does not knowyet how many people will be laid off. The announcement comesless than a week after Merck announced it would stop activeingredient production at its plant in Barceloneta, a Puerto Ricancity that was once considered a pharmaceutical hub.Obama aide: president to visit Asia in AprilWASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama plans tovisit Asia in April.That word came from his national security adviser, SusanRice, during a speech Wednesday about the region. Rice didn’tsay which countries the president would visit.Rice says the Obama administration was disappointed that thepartial government shutdown in October forced Obama to cancela trip to Asia. She says Obama’s visit in April will allow him tocontinue strengthening U.S. ties across Asia.teen faces retrial in school bomb plotLONDON (AP) — A 17-year-old boy accused of planning aschool attack inspired by the one at Colorado’s Columbine HighSchool in 1999 faces a retrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict.The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, was accusedof plotting a series of gun-and-bomb attacks on his former schooland other local targets in Leicestershire in central England. Hehas been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome since his arrest inFebruary and denies two counts of terrorism charges. A jury ofsix men and six women were discharged Wednesday after theyfailed to reach a verdict following six days of deliberations. Ahearing will take place Dec. 12 to set a date for the boy’s retrial.Berlin man confesses artforgery, commits suicideBERLIN (AP) — German police say a Berlin gallery ownerhas committed suicide days after confessing to forging andselling paintings by French-German artist Lou Albert-Lasard.Police say the 73-year-old former teacher, whose name theydid not release, admitted last week to having forged works by theJewish painter since 2003. His body was found Sunday in a forestnear Berlin. Authorities suspect he sold some 100 watercolorsand prints claiming they had been painted by Albert-Lasard inthe 1920s. A spokesman for the Protestant Church in Berlin andBrandenburg says the man donated several paintings for charitableauctions he conducted to raise money for refugees. VolkerJastrzembski said church officials were “deeply shaken” by thesuicide and would now contact people who bought the paintings.NASA diagnosing problem on Mars roverPASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The Mars rover Curiosity hastemporarily stopped science observations while NASA checksout an electrical problem. The space agency said Wednesday thevoltage change was first discovered on Sunday and engineersthink it might be some kind of short. The six-wheel, nuclearpoweredrover halted work as a precaution.So far, there’s no sign that the problem is related to a computerreboot earlier this month that put Curiosity in safe mode.Curiosity landed in a Martian crater in August 2012 and hasspent the last several months driving toward its ultimate destination,Mount Sharp.US closing courthousesin NC, Okla., W.Va., Wyo.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Federal officials are closingfour more courthouses in an effort to save money on rent — inaddition to six closings announced previously.The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said Wednesdayclosing courthouses in Bryson City, N.C.; McAlester, Okla.;Parkersburg, W.Va.; and Jackson, Wyo., by the end of the yearwould save $551,000 annually. The courthouses do not have afederal judge regularly assigned there.Patrick Keaney, the court clerk for the Eastern District ofOklahoma, says the impact of the McAlester closure would beminimal because most area cases are already heard in a federalcourthouse 65 miles away in Muskogee. The government lastyear reviewed 60 courthouses and announced the closure ofthose in Gadsden, Ala., Pikeville, Ky.; Meridian, Miss.; Wilkesboro,N.C.; Beaufort, S.C.; and Amarillo, Texas.Grandmother pleads notguilty in alleged drug plotPHOENIX (AP) — A Ferris, Texas, woman has pleaded notguilty to allegations that she had her 9-year-old granddaughterplant drugs in her son-in-law’s car in Arizona so the grandmothercould gain fulltime custody of the child.A Maricopa County Superior Court spokeswoman says58-year-old SanJuanita Carabajal’s next proceeding on a chargeof involving a child in a drug offense is scheduled for Jan. 2.Gilbert police say Carabajal gave the child several packetscontaining 4 grams of cocaine and told her where to put themin her father’s vehicle. Carabajal also allegedly told her granddaughterto tell people about the drugs at her elementary schooland 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)CYCYMKMK

samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 9CYMKSaunia: L.A.F./Naenae ProductionsUUNAI MALOSI SE FONO MO LE AU FAIPISINISIUa lipotia mai le uunaia malosi e le alii sui palemia, le tofa Fonotoe Nuafesili Pierre Lauofo, lefaavaeina o se fono i tulaga tau pisinisi a Samoa ma Niu Sila ina ia faaleleia atili ai lea auaunagamo le au faipisinisi mai Samoa nei. O lea tulaga o lo o uunaia e Fonotoe ‘ao auai atu i le Faaaligao 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 tulagatau fefaatauaiga aua e le gata o le a tele ni avanoa o le a mafai ona maua ai e le au faipisinisi Samoamo le auina atu o a latou oloa gaosi i fafo, ae o le a mafai ai foi ona fesoasoani i le atinaeina e legata i le tamaoaiga o Samoa, ae faapea foi o pisinisi lava ia. O le isi itu o lo o uunaia ele sui palemialea fono, ina ia aveesea ai le tele o pa puipui o lo o taofia ma taotaomia ai taumafaiga a le toatele ole au faipisinisi o lo o taumafai e atinae tulaga tau fefaatauaiga. O lea fono na taua e Fonotoe o le afilifilia ai nao le au faipisinisi e aunoa ma se sui o le malo e aofia ai.OFO LE MALO SAINA E FESOASOANI I AOGAUa ofo mai le fesoasoani a le malo Saina aua le a’otauina o alo ma fanau o Samoa ma e taualamai lea fesoasoani i le Matagaluega o Aoga, Taaloga ma Aganuu. Ua malie le malo Saina pe a tusaai ma fuafuaga, na te totogiina uma meaaoga ma manaomiaga tau api ma tusi e faaaoga i aoaoga ale fanau. Na faaalia e le Faatonusili o Aoga, le afioga Matafeo Falanaipupu Tanielu Aiafi, e faitaumiliona tupe a le malo e faaaluina i tausaga taitasi i meaaoga a le fanau, ma e talia ma le agagafaafetai lea ofo a le malo Saina. Na saunoa Matafeo, o seleni a le malo o le a faasaoina ona o leafesoasoani 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 aemaiselava 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 maiSaina pe a moomia e galulue i totonu o kolisi i le aoaoina o ia mataupu. O le fesoasoani a le maloSaina 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 AINUUUa amatalia nei i le Faamasinoga Faaitumalo le faamasinoga o lo o suesueina ai tuuaiga faasagai 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 Ogasawarachain, far south of Tokyo Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013. TheJapan Coast Guard and earthquake experts said a volcaniceruption has raised the new island in the seas to the far south ofTokyo. The coast guard issued an advisory Wednesday warningof heavy black smoke from the eruption. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)CMYK

Page 10 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013LeLaliTo’atele namaua siakiOvataimi aeLe 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 Faoaua mavae atu, i se la ata sa pu’eina ina ua maea le fonotaga a le Kapeneta a le alii kovana sa faiai le potu fono a le Kolisi Tuufaatasi i le aso Lua na te’a nei.[ata: AF]Sauni Lolo faamalosia nisifautuaga mo le Ofisa Aogatusia Ausage FausiaNa taua fo’i e Lolo lona faia o se faaiuga, inaUa i ai le fuafuaga a le afioga i le Kovana ia aveese mai nisi o matafaioi o lo o faatino e leSili ia Lolo Moliga, e le o toe mamao se taimi Matagaluega o Aoga e pei o le faaleleia lea oe amata loa ona faamalosia nisi o fautuaga sa faleaoga (Maintenance), ae tuu atu i le Matagaluegao Galuega Lautele latou te faatinoina, inatuuina mai i le Fonotaga o Aoga sa faia i lemasina na te’a nei, mo auala e faatino ai nisi o ia aua ai ne’i toe lavelave tiute tauave a le Ofisaauaunaga a le Matagaluega o Aoga.o Aoga, ae tuu atu atoa lo latou taimi e a’oa’oNa 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 neilona ofisa i le tau tuu faatasia o se ripoti faai’u toe faatalale le Ofisa o Aoga i le faatinoina oe tusa ai o le fautuaga a le Komiti o le Fonotaga ona tiute i le aoaoina o fanau aoga, e pei onao Aoga, ma le faamoemoe e tatau foi ona i ai se maitauina i tausaga ua mavae, ae ave atoa loafautuaga e tuuina atu i le Fono mo vaega e tatau lo latou taimi, tamaoaiga ma le tomai e a’oa’oona mulimulita’i i ai le Ofisa o Aoga. ai fanau ina ia popoto ma atamamai,” o le saunoagalea a Lolo.O nisi o fautuaga na taua e Lolo e tatau onaamata faamalosia e le Ofisa o Aoga i le tausaga Sa ia taua foi lona fautuaina o le Peresetenefou 2014, o le tatau lea ona tofu uma faiaoga o le Kolisi Tuufaatasi, ina ia faatulaga leleio le a galulue i le aoaoina o fanau ma faailoga auala e a’oa’oina ai faiaoga mo le sailiga o aBA, ae a maualalo ane o le AA degree mai le latou faailoga, e fesoasoani ai i le pito laau a leKolisi Tuufaatasi.Matagaluega o Aoga.“Ua i ai le manatu ua tatau loa ona amata faamalosianisi 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 iai 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 Matagaluegao Galuega a le malo ia Faleosina Voightleai 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 lanamaea lava ona tuufaatasia se ripoti faaiu e tusa matagaluega le polokalame o le tausia ma leai 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 isaunoa 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 leleifaamamafa le faaaogaina o le gagana Samoa i o faleaoga e aofia ai le Itu i Sisifo lea ua taitaiasoo se taimi e aoaoina ai fanau aoga, ma ia faamalosiaona galulue faatasi tagatanuu, pisinisi Tutonu lea o lo o vaavaaia e le tofa Masaniai;e le susuga a Amituana’i Uini Atofau; o Sisifoma le atunuu atoa i le aoaoina o fanau. o aoga i le taulaga o lo o vaavaaia e le afiogaO se tasi o auala na taua e Lolo e mafai ai Pulu Ae Ae Jr; o Sasa’e tutonu o lo o vaavaaiaona faamalosia fautuaga ma ta’iala sa mafai ona e Tuimaseve Laupola, ma aoga i Sasa’e o lo otuufaatasia 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 tulafonotaufaaofi, e mafai ai ona faamalosia atili Feso’ota’i mai i le tusitala ialenei mataupu.ausage@samoanews.comle agava’atusia Ausage FausiaE i ai tagata faigaluega a le malo sa le tatau ona agavaa latoui ovataimi, a’o lea na maua a latou siaki tetele i ovataimi a lemalo, e pei ona faamalamalama e le Faatonusili o le Matagaluegao Tagata Faigaluega a le malo ia Sonny L. Thompson, iluma 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 maloi le folasaga a Thompson, a’o ia taumafai e faamanino nisi omatafaioi tauave a lana matagaluega, e aofia ai le malosi latoute faa faigaluegaina ai tagata faigaluega a le malo, ma teu malufaamaumauga 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’oi latou uma e ova atu ma le aofaiga lea a latou totogi e maua ile vaiaso, e le agava’a i latou i ovataimi.Afai fo’i o se tagata faigaluega na te umia se tulaga maualugai le Matagaluega, pe aafia fo’i o ia i le faia o faaiugai totonu o le Matagaluega e pei o le tuuina atu o faatonugai ni tagata faigaluega, e i ai lona malosi e faa faigaluega pefaamalolo ai foi se tagata faigaluega, poo lona tuuina atu o nifautuaga mo le faa faigaluegaina o ni tagata, e le agavaa fo’ilena tagata i ovataimi.O le mataupu i ovataimi a tagata faigaluega a le malo e peiona saunoa Thompson, e le o se mataupu e fou, ae foliga mai ele o tausisi lava matagaluega a le malo i le tulafono e faafoe ai.“O le tulaga muamua lava e tatau ona manino, afai e leaise tupe a lau matagaluega e totogi ai ni ovataimi, e le tatau laona faia ni ovataimi a tagata faigaluega,” o le saunoaga lea aThompson, faatasi ai ma lona toe faamanatu atu i le Kapenetale poloaiga a le kovana i le masina o Ianuari, 2013, e taofi ai letoe faia o ni ovataimi a le malo.O le $916,000 lea na faaalu e totogi ai ovataimi a nisi otagata faigaluega a le malo i ni nai masina e le’i mamao atu, ole tele o ia ovataimi sa le tatau ona totogiina.Mo se faataitaiga e pei ona saunoa Thompson, o le toateleo tagata faigaluega a le Matagaluega o le Puipuiga o le SaogalemuLautele 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 oi 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 leMatagaluega.“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 samaua siaki tetele e o o atu i le ta’i $20,000 mo ovataimmi, sa letatau ona agavaa i latou nei i siaki tetele, ona o nisi o i latou neio lo o aofia i le faiga o faaiuga a le matagaluega, ma e le o tusaai 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 taitaiinaai galuega a le malo, o se tasi lea o tulaga na taua e Thompsone le tatau ona tupu, ina ne’i avea le faatamala o le malo e tausisima usita’i i a tatou lava tulafono ma itu e tulioso mai aile Feterale ma togi i fafo a tatou tulafono, ae tuu mai a latoutulafono e lima taitaiina ai galuega a le malo.I le saunoaga a le afioga i le alii kovana ia Lolo Moliga efaatatau i lenei mataupu sa ia taua ai e faapea, afai e i ai semanaoga o se matagaluega e faia ni ovataimi, ua ia fautuainale tatau lea ona faa faigaluega nisi tagata faigaluega fou ina iafaasoa atu ai tupe o lo o totogi i ovataimi ma maua ai foi e isitagatanuu le avanoa e galulue ai, nai lo le tuuina atu o tupe etotogi ai ovataimi mo se vaega toaititi.“A manaomia e lau matagaluega ovataimi, faa faigalueganisi tagata faigaluega fou, toatele tupulaga talavou o lo otau saili ni galuega, ae aua le manatu e ave le penefiti i letagata e toatasi, e le o le manulauti lena o le faigamalo ma lefaamoemoe, ae tatau ona faasafua le manuia i tagatanuu umao le atunuu,” o le saunoaga faaiu lea a Lolo e faatatau i leneimataupu.Feso’ota’i mai i le tusitala ia ausage@samoanews.com

samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 11OFFICE OF THE GOVERNORPago Pago American Samoa 96799P oloa’iga F a’alaua’iteleVaiaso e Toto ai La’au“Puipui le Vaomatua”Novema 18-23, 2013TALUAI, 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 ogasegase, e gaosi ai fo’i taumafa fa’apea ma lavalava mo tagata Samoa i le afe ma afe o tausaga ua m avae; maTALUAI, 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’apeale 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 maugamaualuluga i Manu’a, togatogo Masefau, Nu’uuli ma Aunu’u, ‘ele’ele susu o Leone, atoa ma vaega o le gataifale atoa o AmerikaSamoa, 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 tatoutua’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 iOttoville 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; maTALUAI, 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 letotooga 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, eaofia 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 letaimi 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 ile 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 teinea’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 afa’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 2013.Ia manuia le vaiaso o le fa’ataua/fa’amanatu o La’au ma le Vaomatua i Amerika Samoa.LOLO M. MOLIGAKovana Sili o Amerika Samoa

Page 12 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013tusia Ausage FausiaNOFOVAAVAAIA SASALA MO LE 5 TAUSAGAO le alii mai Fagaalu lea na ia fao faamalosi le $3 mai totonu o le taga a se alii e 14 tausaga lematua i le amataga o le tausaga nei, na magalo i tua i le aso Faraile na te’a nei, ina ua manatu lefaamasinoga ua lava le umi lea ua oo mai i le taimi nei ua maea ona ia tuliina i le toese i Tafuna, efai ma ana faasalaga i lenei mataupu. O Kennedy Sasala na molia e le malo i le moliaga mamafa ole faomea i le tulaga lua, atoa ai ma moliaga mama e lua o le gaoi ma le faatupu vevesi i nofoagafaitele, ae i lalo o se maliliega sa latou sainia ma le malo ma talia e le faamasinoga, na ia tali ioe aii 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 leua molia e tusa ai o lana solitulafono sa fai, ma ia talosagaina ai le faamasinoga mo se isi avanoamo ia. Na malilie loia a itu e lua ina ia nofovaavaaia Sasala i lalo o poloaiga a le faamasinoga, eaofia ai le faasa lea ona ia toe tagofia le ava malosi. Sa finau foi le loia a le malo ia Julie Pasqualei le faamasinoga, ina ia taofia pea Sasala i le toese se’i tatala pe a maea aso fiafia o lo o lumana’inei, aua o le isi lea taimi o le a tele ai le ava malosi e tagofia e tagata, ae na saunoa le alii faamasinosili ia Michael Kruse, afai e le usitai le ua molia i poloaiga ua tuuina atu e le faamasinoga, o lonauiga 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 sefaalavelave lea na tula’i mai i Fagaalu, ina ua fao e le ua molia le $3 mai totonu o le taga o le ofu ase tamaititi. Na taua e le faamasinoga e faapea, e $30 le tupe na tuu e se tina i lana tama e alu ai efaatau 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 leao 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 lolatou 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 leneimataupu, sa teena e le ua molia lona faia o lea gaioiga i le tamaititi na aafia, ma ia taua i leoleo epepelo 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 5tausaga, 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 toealu 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 MASINAO le alii talavou mai Vaitogi lea na ta’usala i moliaga mamafa e lua o le talepe fale i le tulagalua atoa ai ma le taumafai e talepe se fale, ua faasala e le faamasinoga maualuga e taofia i le toesei Tafuna mo le 28 masina. Sa manatu le faamasinoga e umi atu se taimi e loka ai Taligalu Ah Siu ile toese, ona o le faalua ai lea ona tulai i le faamasinoga i ituaiga mataupa faapenei, ae talu ai o letalosaga a lana loia ia Joel Shiver ma le loia a le malo ia Tony Graf, ina ia toe tuu se isi avanoa mole ua molia, na manatu ai loa le faamasinoga ua lava masina e 28 e loka ai o ia i le toese, o se tasilea o tuutuuga o lana nofovaavaaia e 7 tausaga, ina ia maua ai le avanoa e auai atu ai o ia i aoaogae 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 mauase avanoa e alu ai o ia e auai i ni polokalame o lo o faatino i le falema’i, e togafitia ai le faafitaulio 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 toemaua se avanoa e sogisogi ai i penisini, e le toe aafia foi lona olaga i se solitulafono, ae afai e tatalao 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 AffairsP UBLIC N OTICEI NVITATION FOR M EMBERSHIPA MERICAN S AMOA - CONTINUUM OF CARE WORKING GROUPAmerican Samoa is eligible to apply for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funds from theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The American Samoa Government inpartnership with the private sector is encouraged to collaborate in the development of a localstrategic plan for CoC. The working group will be a community driven effort in order to applyfor CoC funds.The CoC Program is designed to assist individuals (including unaccompanied youth) andfamilies experiencing homelessness and to provide the services needed to help suchindividuals move into transitional and permanent housing, with the goal of long-termsustainability. Furthermore, the program is designed to promote community-wide planningand strategic use of resources to address homelessness; improve coordination and integrationwith mainstream resources and other programs targeted to people experiencinghomelessness; improve data collection and performance measurement; and allow eachcommunity to tailor its program to the particular strengths and challenges within thecommunity.Non-profit groups, faith-based organizations, government agencies and individuals who areinterested in being a member are welcome to sign up now. Membership is free! Please feelfree to contact the following individuals to sign-up for this community initiative today. Allinterested parties and individuals must sign up for membership no later than Friday,December 6, 2013.Pa’u Roy Ausage, Acting DirectorDepartment of Youth and Women’s AffairsOffice Phone: (684) 633-2836Email: roy.ausage@dywa.as.govandPetti Matila, CPD CoordinatorOffice of the GovernorOffice Phone: (684) 633-4116Email: asghud@go.as.gov➧ NEWS IN BRIEF…Continued from page 8Rare US drone strike kills 6 in PAKISTANPARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) — A suspected U.S. dronecarried out a rare missile strike in northwest Pakistan outsidethe country’s remote tribal region Thursday, killing six people,including at least two Afghan militants, Pakistani police andsecurity officials said.The missiles hit an Islamic seminary in Hangu district inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa province that was known to be visited bysenior members of the Afghan Haqqani network, an ally of theTaliban and one of the most feared militant groups battling U.Stroops in neighboring Afghanistan, the officials said.The two Afghan militants killed in the strike were from theHaqqani network.It was one of the first drone attacks to occur outside Pakistan’ssemiautonomous tribal region along the Afghan border sincethe strikes began in the country in 2004 and could increase tensionbetween Islamabad and Washington. Khyber Pakhtunkhwaprovince is considered a “settled area” of Pakistan, meaning it isgenerally more populated and developed than the tribal region.It was also the first drone attack since the U.S. killed formerPakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud on Nov. 1 in a strikein the North Waziristan tribal area. Pakistani officials were outragedby the attack because they said it came a day before theyplanned to invite Mehsud to hold peace talks.Police have arrived at the scene of the seminary which wasstruck by three missiles Thursday in the Tall area of Hangu, saidlocal police officer Fareedullah, who goes by only one name. Thesix were badly burned, he said.12 gold miners dead inGuinea after collapseCONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Residents in a mining town innorthern Guinea say at least a dozen people are dead after a landslidein the area where they were searching for gold.Mamadou Diallo, who lives in the town of Siguiri, saidWednesday that eight others were feared dead and five peoplehad been taken to the hospital with injuries.A rescue operation was underway to try and find the eightwho remained missing after the collapse early Wednesday butauthorities said the hope of finding more survivors was slim.Siguiri is located 435 miles (700 kilometers) north of the capitalin this mineral-rich West African country.Expert Mandjan Sano said that most of those searching forgold in the area are artisanal miners who often use outdated techniquesthat can cause fatal landslides.L.A. man convicted in fakeimmigrant marriage schemeLOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles man has been foundguilty of arranging phony marriages for Nigerians in order forthem to become permanent U.S. residents.The U.S. attorney’s office says 46-year-old Alake Ilegbamehwas convicted Wednesday of six counts of conspiracy to violateimmigration laws. He faces up to 30 years in prison.Prosecutors say Ilegbameh recruited six American citizens tomarry African immigrants for pay — typically $1,000 or more —then counseled the couples to open joint bank accounts and takeother steps to make the marriages appear genuine.Authorities say Ilegbameh also arranged for the couples to seeattorneys to file the immigration paperwork.LG looking into claim thatSMART TVs grab user dataSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — LG Electronics Inc. says it isinvestigating a claim that some of its smart TVs send informationon home viewing habits back to the company without consent.The investigation comes after a British blogger, using networktraffic analysis software, detailed how his LG smart TVlogged the channels he was watching even after an informationcollection feature was disabled.The blog said the TV also collected the names of files savedin an external USB hard drive plugged into the TV as well as theTV’s unique identification information.The information also appeared to be sent to LG unencrypted.The world’s second-largest TV maker said Thursday that customerprivacy is its top priority and takes the issue very seriously.Lawsuit claims CAlifornia studentwas recruited to help in drug bustTEMECULA, Calif. (AP) — The mother of a Californiamiddle school student has sued the school district, claiming her14-year-old son was used as bait during an on-campus drug sting.The Riverside Press Enterprise reports Wednesday the suitwas filed earlier this month against the Temecula Valley UnifiedHigh School District. The paper did not name the student or hisparents because they fear for their son’s safety.The lawsuit says the incident took place last December whenan assistant principal allegedly arranged to have her son helpcatch 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 childendangerment.A school district spokeswoman declined comment.(Continued on page 15)

O leSoneVevelaFa’aliliu: Akenese Ilalio ZecVaega: 42 — Fa’atalofa atu i le mamalu ole atunu’u i lenei taeao fou, malo le soifua, malofo’i le onosa’i i faiva ma tiute o lo’o feagai ai ilenei aso. E ao ai ona o tatou fa’afo’i le vi’iga male fa’afetai i le Atua Soifua, ona o Lana tausigaalofa mo i tatou lea o lo’o tatou maua ai pea leola i aso uma. Ae alo maia, o le a toe fa’aauau atula tatou tala fa’asolo mo lenei aso.Ina ua feiloa’i Nancy Jaax ma le tusi tala oRichard Preston, sa fa’amatala uma ane e Nancyle mea na tupu ae maise ai o su’esu’ega nataumafai i ai le vaega a le Ami a le Malo Telefa’apea le ali’i foma’i o Eugene Johnson.O su’esu’ega na fai e Gene Johnson e uiga i levirusi o le Ebola, e le i manuia, ona o le tulaga nao’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’ifoma’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 nafa’aaoga e Johnson e fai ai ana su’esu’ega. Napau manuki na ola lelei, o manuki e lua lea e lei tuiina i le virusi o le Ebola. O manuki ia sa i leisi itu e fa’afesaga’i tonu lava ma le pa o lo’o i aimanuki ia sa tui i le virusi o le Ebola, ma sa le ia’afia i le virusi.Peita’i, i le lua vaiaso talu ona uma lesu’esu’ega ae maise o le fa’alavelave leana tupu i a Nancy, na tula’i mai ai se tulagafa’aletonu i totonu o le potu o lo’o i ai le virusio le Ebola. Ua amata ona mu mu mata o manukie lua ia sa olaola lelei, ua tafe mai i fafo le totomai i o la isu, ma ua tafe lauga’o mai le totomai i o la tino.O le mea e ofo ai, ona e le i tuiina manuki ia elua i le virusi o le Ebola, e le i tu’u fa’atasia fo’ima manuki ia sa faia i ai su’esu’ega, na pau lefeso’ota’iga sa i ai, o le tu’u fa’atasi lea i le potue tasi, ae e ‘ese’ese pa na tu’u ai manuki ia e luama isi manuki ia ua mamate.O lona uiga, afai e tu’u se tagata i le isi itu ole potu mai le itu o lo’o i ai se tagata ua maua i leAIDS, e le mafai e le AIDS ona alu i luga o le eama 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’ole 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 atule virusi o le Ebola ma a’afia ai le isi tagata. Ele taumate na manava e manuki ia e lua le ea ole virusi o le Ebola ma mama’i ai, o lona uiga emafai e le Ebola ona pepesi i isi tagata e ala i leea o lo’o manavaina.Ua mautinoa ai nei e le mafai e le virusi o leAIDS ona alu i luga o le ea ma a’afia ai le isitagata, ae o le virusi o le Ebola, ua mautinoa neie mafai e le Ebola ona fa’aaoga le ea e feso’ota’iai ma a’afia ai isi tagata e pei ona i ai nei manukiia ua a’afia ma ua maua i le virusi o le Ebola.Ua fa’asaoina le ola o Nancy mai le Ebola ma olo’o fa’aauau pea ona galue i totonu o le nofoagasu’esu’e a le Ami a le Malo Tele.O Nancy o se tina e galue malosi, e leai niona uiga e tusitusi lima i lona to’alua ma fa’apeaatu, “Jerry, e tutusa uma lava o ta tulaga, e tutusafo’i le a’ofaiga o tupe o lo’o ta maua.” E le ose tina e fa’amaualuga, ae naunau lava lona lotoia fa’atino lana galuega a tofia o ia e galue ai itotonu o le Ami a le Malo Tele. E faia pea…samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 13➧ Tala mai SAMOA…Mai itulau 9tamaitai faipisinisi o Christine Ainuu, ia o lo o molia i moliaga esili atu ma le 10. O nei moliaga e fesootai ma le faaseseina o pepamo le faaulufaleina mai i le atunuu o oloa gaosi mai fafo i totonuo pusa oloa tetele po o container lea sa aumai ai ma fagu uisikie le faatagaina. E le gata i lea, o le auina atu i tua o lea containeri ni auala faasolitulafono e aunoa ma le totogiina atu o ni lafogai le Ofisa o le Tiute. E lata i le to’a 20 i latou o le a valaauina emolimau e aofia ai nisi o le vaega a le Tiute ma nisi o le Matagaluegao Tupe Maua, atoa ai nisi o malu o le malo faapea nisi o leau faipisinisi. O lo o tetee i laua ua molia i nei moliaga ma e tasile vaiaso ua fuafua e iloilo ai lea mataupu i le faamasinoga.FAUSIA AOGA FAASEILA I MULINUUO le a amatalia galuega mo le fausia o le nofoaga tutotonu moaoaoga faaseila a le Iunivesete Aoao o Samoa i se vaega eleeleua 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 leumi e oo atu i le tausaga ma le valu masina. O lenei nofoaga ole a avea ma se tasi o lala o le Iunivesete Aoao o Samoa ma ole a aofia ai ma le vaega tau mataupu faasaienisi ma le gataifalefaapea suesuega faalesiosiomaga.E silia i le to’a 40 tamaiti aoga e mafai ona aoaoina i leanofoaga pe a maea fausia mo le sailia ai o faailoga tikeri ma lugaatu tau mataupu faaseila ma suesuega faalesiosiomaga ma gataifale.O lenei atinae o se tasi o poloketi e tolu o lo o faatupeina ele malo Saina lea e aofia ai le fausia o le aoga o le Loto Taumafaifaapea le aoga tulaga lua a le afioaga o Siumu lea e faitau milionalona tau aofai. O eleele i le taufaasiusiuga i Mulinuu lata ane o leOfisa o le Vaai Tau o lo o i ai le nofoaga mo lea atinae tele a leIunivesete Aoao o Samoa.MALIU INA UA PA’U LE UILA I SE TOFEE 34 tausaga o se alii mai le afioaga o Tiavea na maliu i levaiaso na tea nei ina ua pa’u lana uila vilivae i se tofe i Tiaveama maliu ai lava. O lea tulaga na faamautu mai e le sui sooupuo leoleo, le susuga i le komesina lagolago ia Fauono TalaleleiTapu, ma na ia taua ai, sa usu lea alii i lana uila vilivae mo galuegai le taeao o le aso Gafua ae tupu ai loa le faalavelave. O lo omasalomia o le saoasaoa tele o le uila na le mafai ai e lea alii - egalue fa’akamuta - ona faatonutonu faalelei le alu a le uila, matofu ai loa i le tofe. O se taimi o le taeao o le aso Lulu o le vaiasona tea nei na maua ai le tino maliu o lea alii ma na iloa ai le telema le ogaoga o manua i lona ulu. O se tasi lenei o maliu e le ofaatonuina ai e leoleo se suesuega e faia i le tino maliu aua o leaua mautinoa le mafuaaga o lona maliu.The American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture, & Humanities will be hosting its 36th Annual Holiday MusicFestival at the Pavilion - Malaeoletalu, Fagatogo on December 16 - 17, 2013.REGISTRATION: Open November 18 - 22, 2013 @ Museum Compound, Fagatogo. *NO registration via telephone.For more information, Call633-4347/4490/5613This project is supported in part by an award from theNational Endowment for the Arts

Page 14 samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013➧ COURT BRIEFS…Continued from page 2Kruse sentenced the defendant to seven years in jail, howeverexecution of sentence was suspended and he was placed on probationfor seven years under the condition he serves 28 monthsin jail.In his first case in 2012, Taligalu broke into a Vaitogi homeand struck the homeowner on his face with a computer monitor.The victim told police the defendant also came at him with scissorsand tried to stab him but missed.In this latest case, Ah Siu admits that on February 13, 2013 heunlawfully entered a home and removed a gas tank.The court accepted the plea agreement.According to the government’s case, the defendant alsoattempted to break into the hall of the Seventh Day AdventistChurch in Vaitogi however; a passing vehicle caused the defendantto take off.MAN ENTERS GUILTY PLEA IN ASSAULT CASEA 41-year-old man who rammed his car into another vehiclewhile a woman and her daughter were in the car has entered intoa plea agreement with the government. Latu Paea was facingcharges of second degree assault, endangering the welfare ofa child and property damage, second degree, but he entered aguilty plea to second degree assault while the remaining chargeswere dismissed.The incident took place on August 15, 2012 and policereceived a report about a fight near the Mormon Chapel inFaleniu, requesting police assistance.According to the government’s case, a woman was sittingin her vehicle when the defendant, who was upset withher, approached her. Court documents say he approached herpointing his finger at her and yelling.The victim said she believed the defendant was upset that shehad 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 butmissed.Court filings say the defendant then got into his vehicle andrammed his vehicle into the victim’s vehicle, causing damage tothe right side of the vehicle.At the time, the victim was in her vehicle, along with herdaughter and her three-year old grand daughter. It’s alleged afterthe defendant rammed into their vehicle the first time, victimswere afraid and drove off to a nearby field to wait for policeofficers to arrive.Court filings say about three to four minutes after that firstimpact, as they were waiting in their car in the field, defendantcaught up with them and again rammed into their vehicle withhis vehicle. This second impact caused damage to the left sideof their vehicle.Court filings say the third time the defendant rammed intotheir vehicle, it caused damage to the back of their vehicle.Defendant admitted he did crash his vehicle into the victim’svehicle.Sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2013.➧ HR system dysfunctional for many years…Continued from page 1HR, who will help with thelongstanding issues faced bythe hospital. He said anotherposition they are looking atfilling is the Salary and BenefitsAdministrator, who plays akey role in the administration,noting the hospital has lost millionsby overpaying top positions,because there was no oneto oversee this specific, criticalarea in the HR Department.“There are so many errorswith HR that have cost the hospitalfor over 10 years in excessof millions in overpayingpeople. Typically, if someoneis getting overpaid they’re notlikely… to point that out, howeverthey’re quick to point outwhen they are shorted… whichhappens often.”He said that hiring Dr. Mutinimeans she’ll be involved in therestructuring of the hospital. Hetold Samoa News there will bea major reshuffling within thehospital because if the hospitalstays under the same organizationalstructure, nothingwill change, however with thereshuffling, new people willcome in and start fresh and new.Another problem the hospitaldoes not manage wellis absenteeism – which isextremely high according tothe CEO — and this leads toothers collecting overtime.“I noticed in certain departmentsthat one person callsin sick every week, and yetnothing has ever been done —and they are still given theirsalary increase. Which is whatI always question — why arewe giving this person a salaryraise for only showing up forwork — if they even show up?And that’s not fair for thosewho work very hard and cometo work every day,” he said.Fleming further told SamoaNews this will change, andthey will start evaluating performance,because in the pastthere have been numerouserrors in the manual systemand there have been no generatedreports with the aspect ofstaffing and productivity.“How many people arebeing paid who come in towork? And how many peopleare paid who call in sick?”He said it appears thatthere’s probably 20% absenteeism,when it should beless than 5%. “It needs to beaddressed, we cannot afford topay for overtime,” he said.Fleming noted that Gov. LoloMatalasi Moliga has some commendablegoals for the hospital,“yet we cannot achieve themwith the current problems at thehospital.” He said, “My assessmentof the hospital’s operationis that it is more like that of athird world hospital, instead ofa first world hospital with financialsupport from the US. Majorchanges are needed.”The CEO said the HospitalBoard has approved a newpay scale, based on the federalgovernment system. “What wewere doing in the past was notauthorized and using multiplepay scales at the discretion ofthe former HR person, there wasno logic, there was no system,as to how people got paid.“There were so manyinconsistencies; however withthe new approved pay scalewe have made it a much moreequitable, fairer system basedon performance — and itwill actually benefit the vastmajority of employees, especiallythe low wage earners.They’re the ones who will bethe first to be transitioned intothe new pay scale, becausethey’re the ones who have beenneglected the most, and they’rethe ones struggling more thananyone else.“Bottom line is — managementhas the responsibility totake care of its people. Youhold them accountable, andthat hasn’t happened in thehospital,” he noted.Regarding Health InformationSystems, Fleming saidthis position has been vacantsince last year, yet it’s a criticalposition mandated by federalregulations to be filled andhe’s looking at hiring someonefrom the mainland.➧ Having to return OT pay…Continued from page 1(Minimum wage for government employees has increasedsince 2007 due to federal law, and currently stands at $4.41 perhour, 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 compensationcannot be reduced because of variations in the work performed.These employees, explained Thompson, must be paid the fullsalary for any week in which the employee performs any work.The third test falls in the level of management, whose primaryduty is management of the enterprise or directing thework of two or more employees with the authority to hire orfire employees, or whose suggestions and recommendations asto hiring, advancement, promotion or other change of status ofother employees are given particular weight.According to the DHR director, this third test is “where wehave the problem” with those individuals who got paid overtimebut who are considered exempt, “especially with DPS” — withsome “employees who received $15,000, $18,000 or $20,000for overtime for 2009 to 2011.”He said it was found that there was a “misinterpretation”of the law in this case, therefore there were many people whoreceived checks who should not have received them; howeverhe didn’t reveal the total number of people in question.Thompson said when they spoke with the federal officialsfrom USDOL, who arrived last week on island — about thisissue of individuals getting checks which they were not entitledto— 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 thefeds is because they “want to make sure that you and I are incompliance.” And, “if that was federal money, I can assure you,they will come after you until the day you die — you’re goingto pay for it,” he informed cabinet members. “So what works forthem, works for us. It behooves us to be in compliance.”Asked later if DHR will seek reimbursement from those individualspaid under the USDOL case who were not entitled toovertime, Thompson said the matter is under review at this timeand no decision has been made.➧ TALA O FAAMASINOGA…Mai itulau 12O isi poloaiga o le nofovaavaaia a Ah Siu ua tuuina atu e lefaamasinoga, o le aua lea nei ona toe solia se tulafono, aua nei onatoe tagofia le ava malosi poo fualaau faasaina, ua faasa foi ona iatoe 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 atoe taofia oe i le toese ma lua mafuta ai lava ma le pule o lefalepuipui mo le isi 7 tausaga o lou olaga,” o le saunoaga lea aKruse ia Ah Siu.

samoa news, Thursday, November 21, 2013 Page 15➧ NEWS IN BRIEF…Continued from page 12$3M program for shooter tested in capitalSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sacramento police officersand firefighters are using a $3 million video simulation developedby the Army to practice for the possibility of gunmen terrorizingthe capital city.Thirty-six emergency workers huddled over computer screensduring a demonstration Wednesday, pretending they were insidea hotel near the Capitol. They could open every virtual door andenter every room, just as if they were searching for a real shooter.It’s the first time emergency responders have tried the trainingsystem, which is funded by the U.S. Department of HomelandSecurity. Sacramento Police Officer Michele Gigante likened itto playing “Call of Duty,” with all the first-person realism andadrenalin rush. Officials say emergency workers nationwide willbe able to train using the software.Bolivia’s leader decrees special bonusLA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — President Evo Morales decreedWednesday that an extra month’s wages should be paid as a specialChristmas bonus to all salaried workers in Bolivia, at stateagencies, in the military and police and in the private sector.Bolivian law already requires that salaried workers get amonth’s pay as a December bonus, so they will now get tripletheir pay for that month. The leftist president said he made the surpriseannouncement because his government’s goal is to reducepoverty and more equally distribute the wealth in one of SouthAmerica’s poorest nations. “The economy is good and the country’sgrowth should return to the workers with a double Christmasbonus,” Morales said during a meeting with union leaders.Bolivia’s Federation of Private Companies vehementlyobjected, calling the decree “politicking” in a statement that saidit “bodes terrible for future investment.”Costco apologizes for calif. bible flapSIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — A Costco store in SouthernCalifornia drew some unwanted attention this week after labelingsome of its Bibles as fiction.The Los Angeles Times reports Wednesday that DiscoveryChurch pastor Caleb Kaltenbach recently came across the Bibleswith “Fiction” written on the price tag while shopping for a giftat a Costco store in Simi Valley. He took a photo and posted it onsocial media with the comment: “Costco has Bibles for sale underthe genre of FICTION Hmmmm...” Costco has since apologized,saying in a statement a distributor mislabeled a small percentageof Bibles before they were sent to the store. The company said itis correcting the mistake for future distribution.man sentenced for raping burglary victimST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota man who raped awoman he had previously burglarized has been sentenced tomore than 25 years in prison. Curtez Deshawn Graham, 18, ofSt. Paul was sentenced Tuesday.“We seldom see crimes as completely inhumane as this,”prosecutor C. Ryan Tennison said in court. “This man raped thevictim in her home in front of her loved one. ... (He) earned everyday of this lengthy prison sentence.” Graham pleaded guilty Sept.30 to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree burglaryand kidnapping, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.Authorities said Graham was on furlough from prison whenhe removed an ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts,returned to the home of his prior burglary victim and raped herin June. The victim told police that Graham was mad with herbecause she sent him away for 14 months.Defense attorney Murad Mohammad said that Graham neverminimized or deflected his behavior.Hollywood set catches fire in ThailandBANGKOK (AP) — A fire broke out on the set of Hollywoodmovie “The Coup” being filmed in Thailand, starring OwenWilson and Lake Bell. A spokesman for the film’s local productioncompany said Thursday that the fire occurred Wednesdayevening after the day’s shoot was finished. Neither of the twostars were on the set and there were no injuries. The spokesmansaid that prior to the fire the cast had filmed an explosion sceneinside an old building. Police said they suspected the specialeffects had caused an electrical short circuit that caused the fire.The film is about an American family living in Southeast Asiathat gets caught in the middle of a coup. The film also stars PierceBrosnan, who is due to arrive in Thailand next month.Panama sets $1M fine for North Korea shipPANAMA CITY (AP) — The lawyer for the crew membersof a North Korean ship seized by Panama says the Panamaniangovernment wants $1 million to allow the vessel to leave.Attorney Julio Berrios says a delegation of seven North Koreandiplomats was informed of the amount in a meeting with Panamanianofficials Wednesday. He says North Korea considers thefine “unjust.” Panamanian authorities previously said they wouldimpose an unspecified fine because the ship’s crew threatenedPanama’s security by not declaring it was transporting weapons.The ship was headed from Cuba to North Korea when it wasseized by Panamanian authorities, who said they suspected it carrieddrugs. Officials say the ship carried two Cuban fighter jetsin perfect condition, contradicting Cuba’s explanation that thecargo included “obsolete defensive weapons.”National Diabetes MonthNovember, 2013Theme: A Day in the Life of DiabetesOverview of Diabetes Month 2013One of the primary objectives of our leading national association, the American DiabetesAssociation is to raise awareness and understanding of diabetes, its consequences, managementand prevention of type 2 diabetes. We as providers at the medical center also operate on thesimilar objectives.Overall MessagesDiabetes doesn’t stop. It is 24/7, 365 days a year. People with diabetes are faced with numerouschallenges in managing their diseases on a daily basis. Diabetes professionals in every health caresetting strive to provide the necessary tools to assist those with the condition to live a productiv elife.About DiabetesPrevalence• Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes; another 79million 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 agrowing number of those with prediabetes ; overall it is estimated about 7,000 peoplewith 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 nervedamage that could result in pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion, sexual dysfunctionand other nerve problems.Cost of Diabetes• Taking care of an inpatient diabetic is very, very costly with length of stay tends to beprolonged due to multiple complications such as infection, surgery, delay in healingprocess, etc.• Majority of inpatients at any given time on our medical/surgical units are diabetics; thosewith complications tend to require a lot of different medications, supplies and require thehelp of a multipdisciplinary team:Program:On every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00am diabetes education will be provided (in the waiting areaoutside 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 thosewith 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 oleatunuu 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,FaafetaiLBJ Tropical Medical Center

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