Informative and entertaining. A live morning show featuring a line up of guests discussing current community issues. American Samoa's most popular morning talk show, watched worldwide online.
ASPA REQUESTING A WHOPPING INCREASE IN 09 BUDGET
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As the fiscal year 09 budget continues to go through scrutiny in the Fono, ASPA is asking for over $30 million more, a nearly 50 percent increase, and most of it, they say is for fuel expenses.
ASPA’s current budget is for $60.6 million, and they are proposing $90.78 million for the new fiscal year. The breakdown reflects increases in every division of the utility provider, except for the wastewater division.
ASPA Chief Financial Officer Francis Leasiolagi explained to members of the House that the cost of fuel continues to be the most difficult expense that ASPA cannot contain. He said of all revenues that they receive, fuel costs take up 81 percent, leaving only 19 percent to cover ASPA operations.
Leasiolagi added that their monthly fuel bill has jumped from just over $3 million to $5 million over the last year.
Several Faipule voiced the concerns of their constituents that electricity and water costs are getting to point where they are no longer affordable for many local residents.
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SAMOA MP HANS KEIL RELEASED ON BAIL IN U.S., CHARGES STILL PENDING
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Samoa Member of Parliament Hans Joachim Keil entered a not guilty plea in federal court on Wednesday and has been released from custody after he posted bond.
Keil, 64, was apprehended last week in Springfield, Missouri, and charged with falsely representing himself as a U.S. citizen, and of knowingly using a U.S. passport. His attorney, John Kizer, said he entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Keil because “we believe he is not guilty of the charges, and we will vigorously defend him on any and all charges brought by the government.
Although Keil was issued a U.S. passport and has been using it to travel to the U.S. for years, the U.S. Immigration Service says Keil is not a U.S. citizen, and that his application for U.S. citizenship was denied in 1967 because his mother, who is American Samoan, did not meet U.S. residency requirements. Keil served in the U.S. Air Force.
The Samoa government has issued a strong protest with the U.S. State Department for the arrest of Keil, who has been a Member of Parliament since 1988, and also serves as Associate Minister of Commerce, Labor and Industry.
Deputy Prime Minister Misa Telefoni Retzlaff said the matter is all a misunderstanding, and is confident it will be cleared with Keil being fully exonerated.
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CALL CENTER COMPANY SAYS PACIFIC COUNTRIES NEED TO CHANGE ATTITUDE
An international call center company has told ABC of Australia that Pacific island countries need to change their attitude if they are to attract investors.
Global Contact Centre MindPearl is considering setting up a call center facility in either Fiji or American Samoa.
But chief executive William Pattison has told Radio Australia, trying to do business in the Pacific has been slow.
"What I'm seeing thus far in the Pacific, is an element of apathy, where they are not tuned into how to deal with a possible inward investor," Mr Pattison said.
"It's been a challenge - we're continuing to work with various governments but a lot of them are not totally clued up on what an outside investor is looking for.
"If you are sent to three different government departments in one morning that's going to delay your process," he said.
A working group from the recent economic summit in Fiji wants to turn Fiji into one of the world's major call centres by 2010.
In an interview with Radio Australia, Pattison said his group arrived in American Samoa during Flag Day celebrations, which explains why they had a difficult time trying to meet with local government officials.
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GOVERNOR TOGIOLA PLEASED WITH ASPA NET METERING POLICY, CONSIDERS TAX CREDIT
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Governor Togiola Tulafono has announced that he will consider a tax credit for renewable energy residential users now that the American Samoa Power Authority has adopted net metering rules for small renewable power generation.
Net metering is an electricity policy for consumers who own, generally small, renewable energy facilities, such as wind or solar power. Under net metering, in some countries, a system owner receives retail credit for at least a portion of the electricity they generate.
In a September 12th letter to the ASPA Board of Directors, Governor Togiola said he was pleased the Board has adopted net metering rules for small renewable power generation.
“To support residential users, I will be considering a tax credit for renewable energy residential users. I continue to worry that the unprecedented high cost of fuel may rise even further and result in even higher electric power costs for American Samoa,” said Governor Togiola. “The cost of electricity may have reached the point where private investments may make some sense. I hope that you will consider adopting such rules.”
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COURT NEWS
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In news from the court, Immigration Officer Matthew Savali pleaded guilty today to a charge of corruption. A separate charge of forgery against him was dismissed.
Savali is accused of accepting $300 from a Chinese businessman to create a bogus American Samoa identification card for his girlfriend, which they used to travel to Fiji and back.
According to government documents filed with the court, the fake ID was traced through the immigration office computer system, and Matthew Savali was identified as the user who produced the document.
Savali admitted to the court this morning that he used his position as a government official to falsify documents.
Chief Justice Michael Kruse said he will hold off sentencing Savali, so that other defendants in the case can all be sentenced at the same time. Other ASG employees pending the outcome of their trials are Leleaga Reed and Eveline Tuituaato , both of the Attorney General’s Office, and Shay Malepeai of the Department of Health.
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FONO NEWS
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And from the fono, the Senate unanimously passed in second reading today a supplemental funding bill totaling $849 thousand to cover overruns by the Fono and the Governor’s Office in the current fiscal year.
Of the total, $660 thousand will go to the Fono, while the remainder will cover the Governor’s Office.
The bill was introduced only yesterday, and the Senate expedited its second reading passage today. Fono members were uncertain how they would be paid their paychecks and office allowances for the rest of the month, in that the Fono had already overspent its fiscal year 08 budget. The supplemental bill assures all remaining pay periods will be covered for Fono employees. The bill will go through its final reading next week in the Senate and is expected to breeze through.
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LT. COL. MAX GALEAI HONORED BY U.S. MARINES IN HAWAII
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The Honolulu Star Bulletin reports that about 900 U.S. Marines gathered in Hawaii to remember three comrades, including Lieutenant Colonel Max Galeai of American Samoa, who were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Iraq in June.
The marines of the 2nd Island warrior Battalion, 3rd Marine regiment, which is based at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, honored Lieutenant Colonel Max Galeai and two other comrades at a ceremony held at the Kaneohe base. Max’s mother Kalala flew to Hawaii to attend the ceremony, and she was among several family members of the other fallen Marines.
Galeai was the highest ranking U.S. serviceman killed in either Afghanistan or Iraq.
On June 26th, a suicide bomber dressed as a police officer detonated a bomb during a meeting between the Marines and local civilian leaders. Twenty people died in the attack, including the three Hawaii based Marines.
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(c) 2008 Malama Communications, Inc.
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Fa'afetai tele lava / Thank you
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