Nua-Satele kick-off pledges to focus on youth, women and family

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The role of the youth and women in American Samoa was among the highlights at last Saturday’s official kick-off for the gubernatorial team of “Nua and Satele 2020” under the theme, “A New Vision, A New Direction” for all people, when the children of the candidates as well as the wives of the candidates shared personal stories and background about the candidate for governor Sen. Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga T. Nua and his running mate, candidate for lieutenant governor, Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr.

Family members, supporters, friends, invited guests and others packed the SPOREX-Sports Center in Tafuna for the more than three-hour campaign event, in which the top three-placed singers for the Nua & Satele ‘Youth Got Talent’ competition provided entertainment as a prelude to the official kick-off.

Once the program started, three youths were selected from the Youth Committee to share their stories and provide a message on behalf of the youth.

Also included in the program were Tapumanaia’s daughter, Kanoelani Satele; and Nua’s daughter, Sweetheart Nua — who both shared personal stories about their respective fathers and the role their fathers’ play in their lives as well as in the community.

Prior to the candidates taking the podium for their speeches, it was their wives who introduced the candidates after sharing information about the candidates, not only in the family, but in the community and in government.

“We have asked you to come and join us, and listen as we share a new vision, a new direction,” Tapumanaia, who was first to speak told the audience. He was introduced by his wife, Cassandra.

“We believe that the most important aspect in building a government should be founded on the core values of our heritage, of our culture and who we are and what we cherish — God and families,” Tapumanaia said.

“In our communities, everything we do in our daily lives is based on this foundation. And we are excited to offer a new direction as leaders, who will lead this vision to restore faith in government, as our family,” he declared.

He assured the audience that the goals of the Nua and Satele campaign have been mindful of this vision. “We believe that to be government leaders we must understand that we will be the fathers of this country. O Tama o le Atunu’u,” he said.

And to be the “next leaders, we must understand that we will be given the keys and the responsibility to care for the people and our government family. For this has always been the government of the people, by the people and for the people,” he said.

He shared a personal value — learned from his mentors and family members — which is also the same value he has instilled in his children —  “I’ve always learned that life is not what you have, it’s about what you can give” others.

He also shared the journey that he and his wife, along with Nua and his wife, have walked in the past several months. Walking the villages, and meeting people, to share “our dreams” and “to find out what our people’s needs were.”

“We walked dirt roads, slippery trails and muddy paths. We walked to the homes in each village,” he said, noting that they met the elders, who advised them “to be mindful of the people.”

He described what they observed at some of the homes in villages that they visited. “It saddens me to witness the condition some families live in,” he said, and explained that some people have no in-door running water, some have an electric cord connected to a neighbor’s home because they can’t afford the electricity set-up; and some families live in make-shift homes, made of pallets.

“These are the conditions we have witnessed first-hand in these walks. And these are the conditions that Nua and Satele want to change, if elected,” he said, adding that Nua had walked this road before and can’t forget what he has seen. And this was more than 10 years ago, when Nua was lieutenant governor candidate to then candidate for governor, the late Utu Abe Malae.

Tapumanaia spoke of Nua’s passion and goal to make change, for the betterment of all people and “I have been a big supporter of the vision and passion Senator Nua has.”

He also said that this campaign season is a difficult one as American Samoa’s is faced with COVID-19 pandemic, which places challenges how “we do things and how we live.”

“We went from social gathering to social distancing. And it has changed our lives forever. It has forced parents to stay home. Stay home with their children. Stay home and spend time with our families,” he said.

“Times definitely have changed and we need leaders who can adjust and carry us through to the next millennium,” he said, adding that Nua and Satele, “have prepared a new vision, where we see a government built on the values of family, as the foundation of [our communities] and women as the backbone of that family.”

“No leaders can lead without the support of their wives,” he declared, and paid tribute to women.  

He noted that his wife and Nua’s wife accompanied the candidates on the campaign trail. “It was important for us to understand that women have a value and a role that men can never understand. What they do for us, we cannot compensate,” Tapumanaia said to applause from the audience.

“When you see us walking it’s just the four of us,” he said referring to himself and his wife, and Nua and his wife. “When you see us at Friday morning waves, its just four of us. Because it is our belief that in order for us to serve, people have got to see us serving. People have got to realize that Nua and Satele are genuine, we are sincere and we will listen.”

At the kick-off venue, was a board on the wall — which had five-values that Nua and Satele had made a priority in their platform — which includes women and youth. (The team’s platform has also been publicized in the newspaper and on their website.)

“Each of us has a priority, but on Nov. 3rd, I ask you to make it your priority to take a look at the leaders we are going to select and make sure that they know that this is not their government; it is our government,” he said.  “The government of the people and the people deserve good leaders.”

Tapumanaia closed his remarks — which were mostly in English — with a tribute to his sister, Betty Vaeao, who watched the event live via social media. He told the audience that his mother, Evelyn, passed away in August 2017 from stage-four lung cancer. In February the following year, his sister Betty was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.

He pointed out that his sister doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol and “has one of the best hearts of anyone I know.”

“Ever since she was diagnosed, not once did I hear her... complain about her situation. All she said to me was, ‘Tapu, miracles happen every day. And the Lord is mindful of me and He will care for me. And I want you to remember in everything that you do and if you have faith in the Lord, He will provide for you,” he said. “So to my sister, thank you. And I love you.”

In closing, he said, “if the Lord provides us with the opportunity to be the next leaders of American Samoa, we are ready, we will listen and we won’t forget —  a new vision, a new direction. Vote for Nua and Satele on Nov. 3rd.”

Nua, who delivered his remarks mostly in Samoan, was introduced on the stage by his wife, Usuimalo, a Registered Nurse, who served at LBJ Medical Center for many years, before she retired a few years ago.

Nua recalled the team’s visit to homes, where families requested help to address safety of the roads, especially when there’s flooding due to heavy rain. There were also requests for health and safety matters. Nua promised that if elected the Nua and Satele team will provide that help.

The team’s campaign theme in Samoa, “O se Taeao Fou mo Tagata Uma”, simply saying is, “a new vision, a new direction, for all people, he said.

And the campaign’s focus is, “Integrity, Honesty, and Accountability”, which the Senator said is a commitment by the Nua and Satele team “to the people of American Samoa if elected in November for the next four years.”

And if elected, the team promised to serve all people — men, women and children — of American Samoa, he said and shared several issues that the Nua and Satele team will address if elected, such as improvement to the economy, provide new ideas for the territory’s youth to help connect American Samoa to the world through new technology; and improvement of health care through a new hospital and expanding Medicaid with the help of the US government.

He said American Samoa needs good and honest leaders, who serve people with honesty and integrity.

In closing, Nua declared that this is “a new beginning, a beginning for all the people, a time for all American Samoa to bond together and unite. It is time for a new voice. It is our commitment it’s time for the right choice and that choice is Nua and Satele.”

Among the crowd of invited guests, friends, family members and supporters during the Nua and Satele 2020 official campaign kick-off at the SPOREX-Sports Center in Tafuna. [photo: FS]