Local News
Pago Pago, AMERICA SAMOA — In a unanimous vote of 16-0, the Senate approved on Tuesday this week in third and final reading a Senate bill which seeks to increase the tobacco excise tax by 3 cents — to help fund LBJ Medical Center operations — and reduce to 1% the current 2% wage tax, that is paid...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga has submitted the nomination of Lefiti Falelauli’i Pese as Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
In his letter to the Speaker of the House, Savali Talavou Ale, Lemanu stated that Lefiti has faithfully served the Territory for...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Batch #2 of the second round of Economic Impact Payments (EIP) — or stimulus checks as part of the federal COVID Related Tax Relief Act, was released yesterday by the ASG Treasury. And those who came to the Disbursing Office don’t have mailing addresses on their 2019 tax...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Project Manager of the Center for Families of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (CFIDD) has strongly denied an allegation that the organization has engaged in a scheme where CFIDD received federal funding to pay for services the organization never provided...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The chairman of the House Human Social Service Committee, Rep. Su’a Alexander Eli Jennings has made it clear that the confidential file containing several documents that was circulated in the House chamber last week will not be part of the confirmation hearing for the...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “The 911 system is not only broken and outdated, but it’s nothing but an operator.”
This was the statement by the Director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHL), Samana Semo Ve’ave’a before the House Public Safety Committee hearing last week, which addressed many...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga last Thursday signed into law the American Samoa Government’s fiscal year 2021 total budget of $465.95 million — a 10% increase from the approved FY 2020 budget of $424.20 million.
The budget bill, approved by the Fono more than a...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — During a tsunami warning you should move to higher ground or inland before it’s too late, “once you feel the ground moving get your family and move to a safe place.” This was the response from the Director of the Department of Homeland Security Samana Semo Ve've'a when...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Based on a recommendation by Chief Justice Michael Kruse, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga has nominated current District Court Pro Tempore, Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde as a district court judge with the nomination introduced in the Senate last week.
Under local law...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Through separate memorandums, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga appointed the acting Commissioner of the Office of Financial Institution, a police commissioner, and continued a panel first establish by the Lolo Administration to — among other things — review...