I’aulualo and Tapa’au team kicks off gubernatorial campaign

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The truth is, “we don’t have enough money” to operate the government, according to candidate for governor I’aulualo Fa’afetai Talia during his speech last Saturday at the official kick off for the I’aulualo and Tapa’au gubernatorial team at the Samoa Sports Complex, where he also declared that he and Tapaau are the “team of the people”.

Friends, family members, supporters and others packed the event venue to not only hear remarks from the gubernatorial team but also get to know others as well as sharing information and ideas. The team’s campaign theme — “Together We Can” — was echoed in cheers and applause as candidate for lieutenant governor and running mate, Tapa’au Dan Mageo Aga called for the audience’s participation in repeating it.

Both candidates acknowledged and reminded the audience of the current COVID-19 pandemic impacting American Samoa and the world.

Tapa’au, who was first to address the gathering, pointed out that at “this very moment, a once in a century public health crisis is before us. The health and well-being of every single man, woman and child on this island must be protected.”

“And this presents our people with a very important choice in November,” he said and went on to share some inside stories about the campaign including campaign members who wanted an early official kick-off but I’aulualo had urged patience due to more restrictive protective measure imposed in May and June by the governor under the COVID-19 declarations.

Tapa’au saluted and called for the audience’s acknowledgment of all local front-line and essential workers during these difficult times.

“No matter what times we live in, some things stay the same. One of those things, is that ‘Government must be for the People’,” he said, and acknowledged this famous statement was also made by Abraham Lincoln.

He shared publicly a few issues pertaining to their campaign platform, saying I’aulualo “was involved in a very specific and direct way in the development of our platform” working with their platform team.

“I’aulualo wanted a publication of our platform on the day we announced our candidacy. He wanted us to be the first to publish our platform on climate change” which is a new issue for the older generation but an important one for the youth who “have to live with the consequences of climate change”, he said.

“And why climate change?” he asked and then answered, “Because I’aulualo and I believe in science. But just as important, it’s all connected. You can’t do one thing, without doing the other thing.”

“If you want to build an economy, [and] you want to bring more jobs, you have to have a good education system. If you want a good education system you have to deal with the health of our children. If you want our children to have good health, you have to protect the environment,” he explained.

Tapa’au, however, opted not to share publicly more specific information on the team’s inside work on development of their platform. “But I will say this, raising the issues takes honesty, it takes compassion, and if you will take intellectual toughness,” he said to loud applause from the supporters.

He did briefly mention some of the many priorities for the team, if elected in November, and that includes enforcement of local drug laws, laws against domestic violence and “strengthening our families, health care, food and security, [as well as] workplace safety, ocean safety and water safety, and never to forget the special needs of our elderly and our infants.”

“One more key component of developing a platform” is getting public input and he invited supporters and the public “to help us build the platform.”

He spoke briefly about “leadership”, saying that — “Leadership is not about titles. Leadership is not about status; it’s about elevating others. It’s about lifting others and working so they have a chance to reach their goals, especially goals they never thought they could achieve.”

“We must respect the title,” he said, adding, “our task is to lift others. Our task is to act and service in the greater good.”

In order to achieve “greater good... we must work together”, he said. “Especially those who feel, they have no voice. But I have to say, we will never be together, if we don’t listen to voices. We will never achieve government for the people, if more people are not given the chance to succeed.”

Tapa’au — who told the audience that he was speaking first because he is leading the cheering team, while I’aulualo is the captain — described I’aulualo as a “leader who has honesty, compassion, and intellectual toughness.”

“He is a leader with a vision to move our economy forward. He is a man who loves his tradition and his culture. He is a man who puts family first,” he said, adding that I’aulualo can also “help correct the outdated, and poorly designed policies that make it hard for businesses to operate” here.

Among the large crowd of family members, supporters, friends and others, who packed the Samoa Sports Complex in Tafuna last Saturday for the official campaign kick-off for the gubernatorial team, candidate for governor, I’aulualo Fa’afetai Talia and candidate for lieutenant governor, Tapa’au Dan Mageo Aga. [photo: FS]

In his speech, I’aulualo recalled for the audience American Samoa’s economic start, going back to when the islands became part of the US in 1900 under US Navy Administration with very limited federal money.

Then in 1950, the territory was under the administration of the US Interior Department, which three years later increased efforts in local economic development with the most notable one being the canneries.

Federal money and the canneries have been the two “economic bases” in which the territorial government depends for its economy, up to now — along with help from smaller companies, he said.

However, he said there have been many changes throughout the years and it’s no secret, the cannery, is facing many challenges now compared to years ago.

Over the years, and the change of Administrations, I’aulualo said the government depends on the same economic base for revenues and the government also depends on its relationship with the feds, with funding that comes with many restrictions, delaying further future economic development.

But the “truth is, we don’t have enough money. We don’t,” he said, and pointed to LBJ Medical Center, which currently has a budget of $50 million from the local government, but the hospital should have a budget of $150,000 million annually to operate.

In education, “it takes $15,000 to educate a child in the US” but in American Samoa, it “only costs $5,000” a year, he said.

He said he and Tapa’au will not point fingers or lay blame on the administration and  government leaders on this “disparity” because it’s quite clear, that “we don’t have enough money”.

And when the current Administration came into office, I’aulualo said the economic base for ASG revenues haven’t change and this prompted the governor to explored alternate sources of new revenue, resulting in the issuance of bonds — to address critical infrastructure.

I’aulualo informed the audience that issuance of bonds is something that governments use as a way to get new revenue.

However, he points out that the new administration — come January — will be responsible for repaying these bonds, which he said currently totals more than $100 million. He said he and Tapa’au have laid out a plan to address this important issue.

I’aulualo also acknowledged the impact of the coronavirus on the lives of the people here as well as globally, including the US and the world’s economy. He said this is something that “we cannot ignore” and “we are not immune” to this issue.

He also said that every year “we graduate over 2,000 [students] from high school” and many of them go to college or seek better opportunity off island and this is due to the lack of local jobs.

He said the I’aulualo/Tapa’au team, as part of its economic development plan, would ensure jobs for graduating students, who are the “human capital for American Samoa.”

He said he and Tapa’au are ready to lead American Samoa and develop its economy moving forward.

“We are sons and citizens of American Samoa. And as citizens of this great territory, we place the well-being of its people as our highest priority. We are the team of the people,” I’aulualo said. “We value our culture and our community, equality and opportunity and accountability.”

“We believe cooperation is better than conflict. Unity is better than division. Liberation is better than oppression. And bridges are better than walls. We are stronger together, it requires us to humbly acknowledge the past and embrace the ideas and innovations for the future,” he said.

Samoa News notes that the I’aulualo/Tapa’au team has over the past weeks made public many issues on their campaign platforms — via newspaper advertisements contining specific details.