Flag Day Fautasi Race rematch not happening, it was a ‘fake’ ASG memo

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Government employees were thrilled yesterday morning when they were informed in a memo from the governor, that the Flag Day holiday on Tuesday for the Fautasi race was going to be expanded to include the rest of the week.

But while the memo might have thrilled those that read it because of the prospect of three days of additional public holidays, it also might have provoked ire for chiefs and residents of Nu’uuli village, not to mention the captain and rowers of the village fautasi, Manulele Tausala- Low Rider, which won the spectacular race on Tuesday, and their die-hard supporters.

This is because the memo accuses the Manulele Tausala of violating the rules and regulations of the race, which prompted the race committee to schedule a fautasi race rematch for Saturday, April 27, 2024.

Moreover, the Manulele Tausala- Low Rider is to be “prohibited from participating in this revered tradition” in future Flag Day regattas.

As it turned out, the thrill was short-lived as many who thought that this was just too good to be true, called the Governor’s Office for confirmation, only to find out that the memo was in fact a “fake”.

The memo had been disseminated publicly on social media and emailed to local media outlets including Samoa News.

Many who saw the memo thought it was the real deal, as it had the Governor’s Office letterhead and Governor Lemanu’s signature.

According to Office Clerk/ Receptionist at the Governor’s Office Angela Misiluti, their office had found out about the memo when someone had called for confirmation.

She said this has happened before and a fake memo on another matter had been posted by an unknown person.

The Governor’s Office is currently conducting investigations to find out who the culprit of the latest fake memo is.

In the meantime, it has issued a Public Advisory on “Falsified General Memorandum” — which Samoa News has scanned and published in its entirety. It is not a Memo, so there is no signature, nor is the American Samoa seal, which is officially part of bona fide memos. The ‘fake’ memo included the two: Governor Lemanu’s signature and the ASG seal.

Speaking to some Nuuuli villagers about the fake memo, they all responded that they thought it was ‘fake’ because they had been at the Awards Ceremony that was held on the afternoon of the 2024 Flag Day Fautasi Race, where prizes and trophies were presented, with the Flag Day Committee certifying the winner.

And, speaking anonymously, one of Nuuuli’s matai pointed out that it was “ridiculous” and he hoped that it would be cleared up. He noted that the “timing with all that is going on ... political and all..” it’s interesting.

Other members of the community, thought it was a joke — on the Flag Day Committee and how it has done nothing to solve the problem of a ‘fair’ start for the Flag Day Race.

Here is a screenshot of the advisory: