Three at-large members appointed for new substance abuse council

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Administration has named the three-at-large members to the American Samoa Comprehensive Substance Abuse Council, which was established last month by executive order issued by Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, to — among other things — coordinate local efforts to fight drug use through “education, enforcement, and treatment”.

According to the executive order, Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale chairs the new Council, whose membership includes 16 cabinet directors and senior ASG officials; and three-at-large members who are appointed by the Governor for a term of one year and may include representatives of private business, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups or consumers.

Talauega, the current Acting Governor, through a June 22 memorandum, appointed the three-at-large members, who are: Adney Reid, Mona Uli and Trude Ledoux-Sunia. No qualifications for the at-large members was included in the memorandum.

He said that these “individuals will provide a fresh perspective as well as personal and professional experience to help the Council develop solutions to our growing substance abuse problem.”

“Community guidance and feedback will be welcomed and encouraged to further our efforts in ridding our Territory of the devastating effects of substance abuse,” Talauega concluded.

According to the governor’s executive order, the Council will coordinate their agencies' activities to eliminate substance abuse in American Samoa; and seek stakeholders in the government and the community to address substance abuse issues.

Furthermore, the Council is charged with developing policies that reduce the effects of illegal drug use and substance abuse on families and children; and provide advice to the Governor on legislation and activities that are designed to reduce or eliminate substance abuse in American Samoa. (See Samoa News edition May 20 for more details.)

Since establishment of the new Council, there have been questions from the community as to who will serve as the three-at-large members and whether the Council will have any affect on the continued illegal drug problem in the territory — as more cases involving illegal drugs make their way before the court.

Some residents maintain that the government should focus on substance abuse rehabilitation with the proper facility for “treatment”.

And they are hopeful that with the establishment of the new American Samoa Corrections Agency — overseeing the Territorial Correctional Facility and the Juvenile Detention Center — more funds will be put into a “rehab and treatment facility” as well as enforcement of all local laws dealing with illegal drugs.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the governor’s June 15 executive order, establishes the new Corrections Agency, effective July 1, while awaiting the establishment of the Department of Corrections through legislation. (See Samoa News June 17 for details).