Ads by Google Ads by Google

COVID-19 and illegal drugs prompt Lolo to call for “enforcement”

Sen. Tuaolo Manaia Fruean (left) holding the “Pago Pago for Trump” banner with Pulu Ae Ae Jr, while Paramount Chief Mauga T. Asuega, his wife and village traditional and church leaders (on stage)
Plans to beef up DPS presence with Army Reserve and ‘aumaga’
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Speaking at Sunday’s government COVID-19 task force meeting, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga said “enforcement” is very important now while the territory is under a COVID-19 declaration.

He points out that Public Safety enforcement has started to improve with additional personnel brought on board, but more needs to be done with enforcement and he has informed the Police Commissioner that the US Army Reserve will be utilized on weekends for help with enforcement, especially when the airport is re-opened for flights.

To further assist with enforcement, is the involvement of villages. Lolo said he has spoken with traditional leaders of four villages — Leone, Faleniu, Pago Pago and Nu’uuli — which will kick off this new enforcement at the village level.

According to the governor, village participation is not only with COVID-19 restrictions but other issues impacting villages such as illegal drugs. He claims that the reason there’s a rise in illegal drugs is that more money is coming in through the federal coronavirus CARES Act with money getting into the hands of those who shouldn’t get it.

These four villages will on June 15th begin participating in enforcement and Lolo said the village aumaga along with the village council will help with enforcement restrictions of COVID-19 in villages, such as making sure businesses close at 9p.m.

He said that not only will villages help with enforcement of coronavirus restrictions, but with the most serious virus impacting all sectors of the community — and that is illegal drugs.

Lolo asked the ASG Criminal Justice Planning Agency to identify funds to get uniforms, flashlights and other needs for the aumaga enforcement teams.

(See Cong. Aumua  Amata’s announcement of additional federal funding for the ASG Criminal Justice Planning Agency elsewhere in this issue.)

The governor claims the rise of problems in villages is caused by people who are not from those villages, but instead are outsiders — such as renters.

Lolo said he has already conducted a site visit to the “fale” or building that will be used by each of the villages as their main site for the aumaga and instructed the American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority to install telephones at these fale, so they have a way to communicate with police.

He said ASG would look for a vehicle to be used by each village aumaga and requested that police assign an officer to each village to help and also drive the car, which will be based at each village between 6p.m and 6a.m to help with village patrol.

Lolo said it’s the responsibility of ever member of the community including traditional and church leaders to address these rising problems especially illegal drugs. He said church leaders were very supportive of this work during their meeting last week Wednesday.