Ads by Google Ads by Google

Community Briefs

compiled by Samoa News staff

TAOA DIRECTOR RESIGNS FOR HEALTH REASON

Territorial Administration on Aging (TAOA) director Tifimalae Ale has resigned from his post for health reasons, a TAOA official says, but referred Samoa News inquiries on Monday to the Governor’s Office. The governor’s executive assistance Iulogologo Joseph Pereira didn’t immediately respond to Samoa News questions from Monday this week.

The TAOA official would only say that Ale handed in his resignation to the governor last Friday before heading off island for “medical reasons”.

Some senior citizens were caught by surprise with Ale’s resignation and all of them only knew about it on Monday. Viliamu Leilua told Samoa News that it’s hard and difficult for many seniors to forget the TAOA director who continued to push for improvement for seniors to be a priority and Ale has implemented many programs for seniors.

One of Ale’s last major projects was the establishment of the TAOA thrift shop, where seniors sell a variety of handicrafts as well as providing educational workshops on Samoan culture issues and teaching Samoan handicraft making to students at the TAOA center in Pago Pago.

Ale, a former ASG Treasurer, had served as TAOA director since the Lolo Administration took office in January 2013.

FEDERAL GRANT FOR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) has issued a $93,136 grant in the territory’s Department of Health for maternal and child healthcare services, says Congresswoman Aumua Amata who was informed Monday about the grant award.

In a statement, Aumua said she is pleased with the funding, which “will help to serve the most vulnerable. We must continue to do all we can to improve the health care services here at home, and these funds will assist in that mission.”

The grant funds were issued from the USDHHS Health Resources & Services Administration under the B04 - Maternal and Child Health Services program, and will be used to provide healthcare services to expecting mothers and newborn children.

Aumua thanked USHHS officials who “saw the need for these funds, as well as our own health officials” in the territory including DoH Project Direct or Margaret Sesepasara and her team who “worked so hard to get our islands these much needed funds.”