A large delegation of government and traditions leaders from Tutuila are scheduled to arrive today on Ta’u island for tomorrow’s Manu’a Cession Day celebration, which for the first time will be broadcast live on state run KVZK-TV, whose engineers have been working in collaboration with the American Samoa TeleCommunication Authority (ASTCA) to make it happen.

It was in 1904 that the Manu’a islands, which was once an island kingdom ruled by King Tuimanu’a was ceded to the United State and became part of American Samoa.

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has declared tomorrow, July 16, a holiday in the territory and therefore all local government offices will be closed and employees required to work will be paid in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

While ASG is closed, many in the private sector will remain open including federal offices such as the U.S. Post Office. Phone calls to the two private banks last Friday have elicited replies that they will also be open.

In his proclamation declaring July 16, Manu’a Cession Day, the governor called “upon the government and the people of American Samoa to unite together as one, as we are people with shared traditions and values, as we face a future together with peace and harmony in our hearts, our minds and our spirits.”

Lolo, along with other senior government and traditional leaders depart today for Manu’a, while the majority of leaders including many cabinet directors and Fono members were to have left last night on the MV Sili.

Because many lawmakers will be in Manu’a, the Fono is taking today off and to give all lawmakers time to return, there will also no session on Wednesday. Lawmakers will reconvene on Thursday, according to the Fono leaders in announcements made last Thursday during their respective sessions.

This year’s Manu’a Cession Day festivities are set to be broadcast live from Ta’u on KVZK-TV for the first time. The broadcast signal, which will be transported via microwave link, had phase one testing completed late last month on Tututila.

When contacted Saturday for an update if the live broadcast was still planned, Office of Public Information director Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde said the “live feed” signal from Manu’a was successfully tested and ran for 24-hours on Thursday and Friday.

“We’re ready to go” with the live broadcast, said Fagafaga, adding that engineers from both KVZK and ASTCA conducted the testing in Manu’a.

The Manu’a Day festivities are scheduled to get underway after 7:30a.m. following the morning breakfast. Later today, there is the church service on Ta’u island.

As part of the governor’s mission to boost economic development for Manu’a, all ASG departments and agencies were ordered to establish offices in the island group. These offices — including the Governor’s Office — are being dedicated today (on Ofu and Olosega islands) and tomorrow (on Ta’u island).

At last Thursday’s cabinet meeting, the governor told directors that this is the first time that the government is making an effort in developing the Manu’a islands, which has been neglected with little attention paid to the island group for many years.

“Manu’a is one of the central parts of this territory and we need to develop Manu’a to make sure it contributes to the economic process and the economic development of our islands,” Lolo emphasized to directors.

“So every effort that’s going on in Manu’a today and in the next couple of years to develop the infrastructure is to make sure when business comes in to establish [in Manu’a] we are there,” he said.

According to the governor, the American Samoa Power Authority is assisting in the setting up of the first gas station on the island group and the gas station will serve ASG vehicles as well as private vehicles. Currently fuel for Manu’a is shipped in drums.

He said Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga has been traveling back and forth to Manu’a overseeing these ASG developments. He urged cabinet members to give Lemanu all the assistance that he needs.

Samoa News management and staff join with the territory in wishing Manu’a well in the celebration of its cession day.

Samoa News will publish on Tuesday, July 16, and its office in Fagatogo, across from Port Administration, will be open for normal business hours.