Community
Briefs
by Samoa News
Staff
GAO STUDY
OF LOCAL JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO BE OUT IN JUNE
Congressman Faleomavaega
Eni said the U.S. Government Accountability Office study of the
local judicial system is expected to be out in June.
Faleomavaega
said he is looking forward to what GAO has to say about the current
status of our local courts and see where we need improvements,
especially in light of the debate on whether a federal court
should be established here.
Faleomavaega,
along with U.S. Reps. Richard Pombo and Nick Rahall requested
a comprehensive review of the local judicial system in order
"to assist Congress in the formation of a judicial system
that remedies current problems with court jurisdiction and ensures
the protection of the fundamental rights of the residents of
American Samoa and the territory's unique political association
with the United States..."
GAO, the investigative
arm of the U.S. Congress, was also requested to provide recommendations
and options for Congress to consider.
TOGIOLA ENJOYING
TRIP TO ROSE ATOLL WITH NOAA TEAM
Gov. Togiola
Tulafono is enjoying his trip to Rose Atoll observing the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on their cooperative
study trip.
The study of
American Samoa is to assess and monitor the health of the territory's
coral reef resources. Togiola left with NOAA team on Monday on
the NOAA marine science research trip, Hi'ialakai.
In a statement
from Rose Atoll, Togiola said he is grateful for the opportunity
to make this once in a lifetime kind of visit to Rose atoll,
the seventh island of the territory of American Samoa notwithstanding
its status as a US National Wildlife Refuge.
On Tuesday, the
governor had the opportunity to walk all the way around the island
with DOC's Lelei Peau and Don Palasky from the National Wildlife
Refuge office of the USDOI in Honolulu. During the walk, they
discovered what appeared to be a cement monument. The following
day, they returned to the site with a NOAA team to dig up the
monument.
He said on top
of the monument was a two-inch round brass plate with the words,
"USN SURVEY". He said it appears someone carefully
removed whatever was on top of the monument.
He said Palasky
has relayed to him a history that may indicate that a Navy captain
who was also the governor of the territory set the monument for
the Navy, and to commemorate the establishment of US authority
over Rose Island.
The governor
has requested Stan Sorensen of his office to look into the history
of the monument.
"I...really
enjoyed observing the NOAA team at work, and enjoyed very much
the natural beauty of the island's birds and its reefs,"
he said. "I have never seen green "faisua" until
[Wednesday] here in Rose Island."
DOC'S NTIA
ENCOURAGES LOCAL RETAILERS TO GET CERTIFICATION FOR TV COUPON
PROGRAM
The U.S. Department
of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) encourages local electronic retailers to become certified
retailers in the federal TV Converter Box Coupon Program, administered
by NTIA.
NTIA spokesman
Todd Sedmak said from Washington yesterday that the application
deadline for certification is March 31. Consumer electronics
retailers interested in the program can visit www.ntiadtv.gov
or call 1-866-296-1107 for additional information and to sign
up.
Some off-island
companies have received telephone calls for orders from American
Samoa to purchase a converter box, which is then shipped to the
territory.
A 2005 federal
law requires television stations to cease analog broadcasts and
switch to digital after Feb. 17, 2009. It also authorizes NTIA
to create the TV Converter Box Coupon Program to purchase a converter
box to be used by consumers whose TV set is still analog and
not hooked up to a cable television.
Between now and
March 31, households can request two coupons, each valued at
$40. The converter box costs around $70.
FALEOMAVAEGA
ON FARM BILL STATUS
Congressman Faleomavaega
Eni said the farm bill extension made on Wednesday by the U.S.
Congress will provide adequate time for lawmakers to reach a
compromise on the legislation that deals with a wide range of
programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
One of the programs
is the Consolidated Block Grant to fund the food stamp programs
for both American Samoa and Puerto Rico, which was due to expire
tomorrow, but Congress has approved a resolution to extend the
deadline to April 18.
Faleomavaega
said the food stamp program is vital to the livelihoods of many
families in the territory, struggling to survive.
"Given that
over 50-percent of our population lives under the poverty level,
limited programs such as food stamp provide for our low-income
households and the elderly," said Faleomavaega in a statement
yesterday. "This illustrates the significance of this extension."
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reporters at news.newsroom@samoatelco.com.
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