ASG delegation shares challenges and priorities with federal partners

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The ASG delegation at this week’s  “Pacific Partnership Meeting (PPM) & Pacific Executive Leaders Program” meeting at the Ala Moana Hotel in Honolulu includes local Homeland Security (ASDHS) director Samana Semo Ve’ave’a and Office of Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) director Lisa Tuato’o.

The meeting, which opened Monday and runs through this Friday, is coordinated by the U.S Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Several federal partners are on the list to make presentations and FEMA Region 9, Regional Administrator, Bob Fenton spoke at the opening along with David Fukutomi, who is the Associate Director, Executive Education Program, Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), according to program’s agenda.

“This annual [PPM] meeting is an opportunity for our federal partners to hear from the territories about challenges experienced, identified gaps, priorities, lessons learned and important issues so we can have more robust solutions and effective approaches to address them for more positive results,” Tuato’o said via email from Honolulu yesterday responding to Samoa News queries.

“The PPM also includes discussion of grant opportunities, requirements and encourages successful implementation of the funded projects,” she explained. “Breakout sessions were very engaged and match territory/federal partners in building capacities in planning, preparedness, response and recovery, mutual aid, sheltering and long term housing, logistics, climate and equity to name a few.”

Tuato’o thanked Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga for his support for “Director Samana and I to continue fostering positive relationships with our federal partners with attendance to our annual meeting.”

“We are also very appreciative of being under the proven leadership of Bob Fenton who is very supportive and actively advocating for the territories especially American Samoa.  I also want to recognize the full support and proactive assistance of Mr. Robert Pesapane, Director of Recovery Division of FEMA Region 9 for our people,” she pointed out.

Tuato’o recalled that it “was great to listen to the presentation by “Marina Tinitali, who wears many hats to include the position of Emergency Management Coordinator” of the U.S Interior Department’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA).

According to the meeting agenda, Tinitali gave her presentation Monday afternoon.

“Ms. Tinitali delivered an outstanding presentation of federal funding opportunities and assistance from OIA for the territories and shared about many ways they can help us.  She has extensive federal government experience and is a real asset for our territory,” said Tuato’o.

In additional to Tuato’o and Samana, members of ODAPM and ASDHS staff also in attendance are Tracie Sataraka - Public Assistance Grants Coordinator; Lologa Olo - Grants Analyst Coordinator; and Sharma Sapolu - EMPG Coordinator.

According to the agenda, the PPM meeting began with a discussion about collective capability building in logistics and distribution management, housing and sheltering, and critical infrastructure.

Federal partners’ presentations at the PPM identify programs and resources that states and territories can use — or may already be using — to address challenges and/ or support state/ territory planned or ongoing efforts related to capacity building in infrastructure, logistics and distribution management, and housing and sheltering.

In addition to FEMA, other federal partners who presented or are slated to make presentations at the meeting include the U.S Coast Guard, U.S Transportation Department, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S Housing and Urban Development agency.