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Ituau County selects its two senators — one new, one old…

fili@samoanews.com

Ituau County has selected former faipule Levu F. Solaita and re-selected Sen. Alo Fa’auuga to take up the county’s two senatorial seats when the new 35th Legislature is sworn in to office in January next year.

Levu takes up the senatorial seat that was occupied by Sen. Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono for the Ituau County — comprising the villages Nu’uuli, Fagasa, Matu’u and Faganeanea.

Samoa News received information early last week that traditional leaders of the Nu’uuli Village council had met on the weekend of Nov. 12 to decide on who will represent them in the upcoming Legislature.

It has been a long standing traditional Samoa protocol that Samoa News has reported over the years based on information from Ituau County leaders, that Nu’uuli takes up one of the two Ituau senatorial seats and the other seat is for the villages of Fagasa, Matu’u and Faganeanea.

During the Nu’uuli council meeting, it was agreed for Levu to be the next senator, said two village officials who attended the meeting. The same officials also say that Fagasa, Matu’u and Faganeanea traditional leaders also met two weekends ago and decided to return Alo Fa’auuga for another four-year term.

The selections of Levu and Alo were then presented to a Ituau county council meeting, which Samoa News understands was held last Friday morning in Fagasa. At the meeting the county council traditional leaders officially reaffirmed the selections of Levu and Alo.

Reached by phone last Friday, Levu confirmed that the Ituau county council of traditional leaders met around 10a.m. that day in Fagasa and reaffirmed that he and Alo will represent the county in the new Legislature for the next four years.

Levu expressed sincere appreciation to the Ituau County council’s traditional leaders and he is “very humbled” to be selected to the Senate.

“I look forward to doing good things for not only Ituau but all of American Samoa,” he said in a brief Samoa News phone interview. “And those good things will benefit our people.”

Levu had served 14 years in the House of Representatives a few years back and also served as senior staffer to the American Samoa District Office of former Congressman Faleomavaega Eni; and was also Faleomavaega’s liaison to the Fono.

With the Ituau selection of Levu and Alo, that brings a total of five senators selected for the new Legislature, according to Samoa News’ count based on its news reporting.

Other senators selected so far are Senate President Gatoteote Tofau Palaie, Sen. Tuaolo M. Fruean and Senator-select Fano Mitch Shimasaki.