Gubernatorial teams vie for voters during ASBA Forum, part 2

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor in the upcoming general election participated in a Gubernatorial Forum hosted by the American Samoa Bar Association (ASBA) last week.

In Thursday’s Samoa News, the candidates expressed their viewpoints on the first 4 questions. Today in part 2, the candidates’ answers to the next four questions are presented, with the remaining 4 to be published in the next publication of Samoa News.

Lemanu P.S. Mauga and Laapui Talauega E. Ale, Vaitautolu Talia Faafetai and Maefau Dr. Mary Taufetee and Pulaalii Nikolao Pula were present. Pula’s running mate Pulu Ae Ae, Jr. did not participate, as he was attending a family funeral off-island.

Over 200 questions were received by ASBA from the public, according to ASBA Treasurer Lornalei Meredith, who served as the master of ceremonies. Due to time constraints only 12 questions total were asked and answered.

QUESTIONS

THE FIFTH QUESTION was: "How would you ensure that your selected cabinet members are the most qualified for their respective appointments?"

Candidate for Governor Pula responded first by emphasizing honest governance and stated that all cabinet positions will be advertised, and the best-qualified candidates will be appointed.

"All cabinet member positions will be advertised, none will be appointed politically," he declared. "Everyone in American Samoa or Samoans outside who want to come and apply for cabinet positions can do so and we will have a panel that will review all applications, with the best qualified person to serve as a cabinet member.

"And we want these people to be not only qualified, intelligent and expert in whatever field they specialize in, we want them to have leadership qualities so they can lift the standard of services of their respective departments. That way, they can serve the community in a very respectful and caring way."

Candidate for Governor Vaitautolu echoed Pula's sentiments also stating that cabinet member positions will be advertised if he is elected.

"We pledge that we are going to advertise the positions and carry out strict vetting of the background of all applicants and their qualifications," Vaitautolu stated.

"We want to make sure that their experiences are related to what is required in the positions. We also want to make sure that they are committed to stay here on-island and serve the government and people of American Samoa."

Incumbent Governor Lemanu began his response in English saying that in view of politics in Samoa, "there are positions that have to be politically appointed. And that's the honest truth."

Continuing in Samoan, Lemanu stated that when he and Lt. Governor La'apui selected their cabinet, they prioritized education and experience. Their directors are individuals with the academic background and work experience in American Samoa.

He added that their cabinet includes many women, and he expressed satisfaction with their directors over the past four years.

Lemanu criticized the claim that the search for directors would be across the board, calling it a blatant lie.

"Don’t lie to the people," he admonished. "Let me give you an example. Say an applicant from the Pula & Pulu camp and another from our camp apply for a cabinet member position that requires a BA degree and work experience.

"If they are the only applicants and both have BA degrees with the same experience, who do you think would be selected if Pula wins the election? Of course, Pula would hire the applicant who supported him! Only a foolish candidate would offer the job to the applicant who supported his opponent."

QUESTION NUMBER SIX was: "What are your two key objectives to address the high percentage of K5 to 12th-grade students not performing at grade level?"

Candidate for Governor Vaitautolu pointed out that education was an important part of their platform and improving the education system was a must. To achieve this, he stated that their team will be focusing on implementing after-school programs for students who are not performing to the academic level required at their respective grades.

He also emphasized that teachers who will be taking on these after-school program must be eligible to be paid overtime by DOE.

Secondly, he stressed the importance of getting parents more involved in these after-school programs to encourage their children to strive for better marks and to work closely with the teachers and DOE officials to achieve this goal.

Incumbent Governor Lemanu stated in Samoan that improving the education system was a top priority when they first took office.

The initial step they took was to raise teachers' salaries. This decision was driven by the need to retain qualified teachers in the classrooms, as some were leaving the profession for higher-paying jobs in other fields.

He mentioned that the Department of Education was the first government department to receive pay raises because the administration recognized the importance of providing the best education possible for the future leaders of American Samoa.

Lemanu reasoned that to achieve this, teachers must receive better pay to motivate them. He also highlighted that almost all school buildings and infrastructure in the territory have been built or renovated, with most classrooms now having air-conditioning.

He stated that the government has done its part, and it is now up to the teachers and the DOE to fulfill their responsibilities.

Candidate for Governor Pula emphasized that education is a subject very important and dear to him, as his late father, Pula Nikolao, was the first Samoan Director of Education despite having only an 8th-grade education.

He acknowledged that the current education system is much improved compared to those days.

However, he questioned, "Why do many of the upper echelons of our workforce come from outside of American Samoa?"

Pula stressed the need to elevate the standard of education for the younger generations, as they are the future leaders of the territory. He recounted a recent campaign visit to Manu'a, where he saw a sign at a school in Fitiuta that read, "It takes a village."

He agreed with this sentiment, stating, "It's not just the teachers and school administrators who are involved in our children's education. We all need to work together in our families, villages, churches, and pastors' schools to lift up the level of education. If we don't, all the top jobs will be taken by people from outside."

Pula also pledged that he and Pulu would dedicate significant funding to improve education.

QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN was: "There is a history of problems with our drinking water. What would you do to ensure that water is safe for the public living in all areas of our territory?"

Responding in Samoan, incumbent Governor Lemanu acknowledged that while the issue isn't new, it has been exacerbated by climate change.

He explained that rising sea levels are making it extremely difficult to drill for underground fresh water. He mentioned that the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) crews are working on replacing old, rusting underground pipes, installed during the Second World War, with modern PVC pipes to improve water distribution.

Lemanu also noted that ASPA is working on securing other sources of fresh water above ground, such as rainwater stored in large tanks and reservoirs. Additionally, he stated that ASPA is completing a special water cleansing plant in Tafuna, which will eliminate the need to boil tap water before consumption.

Candidate for Governor Pula highlighted that he often hears warnings on the radio advising residents to boil tap water before consumption in certain areas of the island.

He recounted that during his time working for the Department of the Interior (DOI), he noticed that a significant amount of federal funds were being earmarked for ASPA to improve water quality services. However, upon his return after many years, he was disappointed to find that water and electricity rates remained high.

Pula mentioned that he recently witnessed a Senate hearing discussing the flooding of roads and residential areas during heavy rain, a persistent problem despite the allocation of federal funds to address it.

He stated that if he and Pulu were elected, they would investigate the matter and enlist qualified individuals, either local or from off-island, to resolve the issue once and for all.

Candidate for Lt. Governor Maefau Dr. Mary Taufete'e, speaking on behalf of the Vaitautolu and Taufete'e team, stated that the three questions the DOI will ask the American Samoa government are: How is education? How is public safety? How is public health and healthcare?

"With regard to public health and healthcare, we have been boiling tap water for the past four years!" she said. "What is being done about it? We don't know. We don't have the data."

She emphasized that if they were elected, they would ensure that federal funds are used for their intended purposes. She argued that funds allocated to improve water quality should be spent accordingly because the lives of the public are at risk.

"The government's obligation to the public is to secure funding to improve the quality of life for the people of American Samoa," she said. "We need to look for and secure those funds. There is a solution to every problem. All we have to do is find and secure it, which is what Vaitautolu and Taufete'e will do if they are elected."

QUESTION NUMBER EIGHT was: "Do you have any plans to strengthen the sustainable development of our food system so that we are not over-reliant on imports of foodstuffs via container shipping?"

Candidate for Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula emphasized the importance of promoting farming and fishing, encouraging the prioritization of locally grown products. He argued that local food security should be a priority, and with time, increased production will benefit the economy.

Candidate for Governor Vaitautolu emphasized that the only way to reduce reliance on imported foodstuffs is to develop local food production. To achieve this, it is essential to assist local farmers and fishermen.

He criticized the current administration's efforts to improve food security, stating that they are being implemented without concrete plans. These efforts include the establishment of poultry farms in Manu'a and the development of livestock farms in Manu'a and Upolu.

Vaitautolu mentioned that, according to local farmers they have spoken to, there is a lack of clarity on how these government initiatives are to be run due to a lack of transparency. He stated that they intend to work closely with local farmers to develop a plan and system to successfully implement these initiatives for the territory's food security.

Incumbent Lt. Governor La'apui highlighted that the COVID-19 lockdown of ports starkly revealed the issue of food security and the challenges American Samoa would face. He emphasized that these problems would significantly impact the territory if it is not adequately prepared in sustainable food development.

"Since that time, this administration has been working to find different ideas and try various ways to develop American Samoa's ability to achieve food security," he said.

He noted that the scarcity of available land suitable for farming and the shift away from farming by many people are significant challenges. He acknowledged that there is much work to be done and mentioned efforts to develop animal farms in Manu'a and explore avenues for trading beef and other products with Independent Samoa.

La'apui clarified that nothing is off the table and not every attempt will be successful, but the administration is not afraid to try new ideas for the benefit of the people of American Samoa

Samoa News will publish the last four questions and answers from the ASBA forum by gubernatorial candidates in Monday, Oct. 28th’s edition of Samoa News.