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Lolo commends ASPA board for their achievements

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga and First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga (head of table), along with lawmakers, senior ASG officials, and Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga T. Asuega during an executive lunch at the new Satala Power Plant, after it was dedicated Thursday morning, May 25.  [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]
fili@samoanews.com

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has praised the American Samoa Power Authority board of directors for that they have achieved in the last five years by producing “some good results for our people.”

The governor commended the board during his special remarks at Thursday’s dedication of the $56 million new Satala Power Plant. In the audience at the dedication ceremony was board chairman Fonoti Perelini Perelini and four other board members, who were first appointed and confirmed by the Fono in 2013.

And last month they were reappointed by the governor and again confirmed by the Fono. Besides Fonoti, other board members are Peter Crispin, Isabel Hudson, Daniel King and Solip Hong.

In his special remarks at the dedication ceremony, Lolo said that it was five years ago, that he appointed a board “that I felt, they will produce some good results for our people.” With the appointment of Utu Abe Malae, as ASPA executive director, Lolo says “I need a board that will compliment, his [Utu] capacity to lead our territory to a prosperous future in developing new energy for our territory.”

Then two months ago “we dedicated the Ta’u solar project, that reflects the first ever 100% solar, which is an accomplishment... that is hard to achieve. Two weeks later we dedicated the [solar] project in Ofu, the same nature and the results are wonderful.”

And last Thursday, was the dedication of the Satala power plant, which is a “very important project to serve the same purpose of improving the quality of life for our people,” Lolo told the audience which included government officials. “I never thanked the board, for the wonderful job that they are doing.”

He said board members are the “most busy business people in our community” but “they took time off to serve our people, to serve our community in a way that we all witness so many success.”

He said the board “has done a tremendous job”. The statement was met with a round of applause from the audience.

The governor went on to note that “one thing that I have noticed in this board” is the way they have conducted their business and that they are “a true sign of true leaders. Common leaders always start with easy things but real leaders decide to take the different direction.”

He told the board,  “You have chosen to start with projects, not because they are easy, but because they are hard and difficult to achieve.”

He also told the board that “we’re hoping your mandate of brining the cost of electricity down, not only will benefit our community, and our people, but will benefit our business community in general. Congratulations for a job well done.” The statement again resulted in more applause from the audience.

The governor also acknowledged ASPA’s workforce. “You know, this world today, leaders don’t fight the war, it’s the soldiers that fight wars,” he said to response from ASPA workers saying “Amen”.

“We leaders only say, only talk, only show, but the real soldiers who will fight war, are the workers of ASPA,” he said to cheers and more applause.