The Wait Is Over

American Samoa Legal Aid now accessible in Manu’a Page - 2 Brain disease seen in most football players in large report In Sports Pili a le kovana e si’i ai tau o The majority of participants in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) were all smiles yesterday totogi i luga o le Uafu when they were issued their very first paychecks. The trio pictured at far right are our very own Samoa News Le Lali interns. Read story for full details. [photo: Sabrina Sinapati] ONLINE @ SAMOANEWS.COM DAILY CIRCULATION 7,000 C M Y K PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA WEDNESDAY JULY 26, 2017 $1.00 The wait is over — Medical expert: Public Defender’s Office never SYEP paychecks issued paid for her work DHR: DELAY WAS DUE TO LATE SUBMISSION OF TIME CARDS SHE ASSISTED IN THE DEFENSE OF A MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF HIS WIFE by Blue Chen-Fruean Samoa News Correspondent by Rhonda Annesley, editor statement: ‘By checking here, The more than 800 youth who are currently working under the Summer Youth Employment Pro- It would seem the finan- you acknowledge the risks of gram (SYEP) this year did not receive paychecks this past Monday, which was government payday. cial woes of American Samoa not receiving the report and Since then, Samoa News has been bombarded with phone calls and email inquiries from parents are pervasive — affecting all agree to pay in full as long as wanting to know when their kids are going to get paid. areas of government, including reasonable efforts have been “We need my daughter’s SYEP check so she can have bus fare and lunch money,” said one the Public Defender’s Office. made to ensure delivery’.” mother, who added that they live in a secluded area and her daughter walks — rain or shine — to And while a shortage of law- Continued contact hap- catch the bus every morning to get to her job site. yers is its oft complaint, this pened, Godoy says, and on Dec. When contacted for comments yesterday, Makerita Enesi, Deputy Director of Employment time, a complaint is being made 19, 2016, Fiaui requested the Training for the Department of Human Resources (DHR), which oversees the SYEP, said paychecks against the Public Defender’s invoice be sent right away for for the majority of the summer workers were released yesterday afternoon. Office for not paying the bill of payment. Samoa News understands that the few workers who did not get paid yesterday will most likely a consultant it used to assist in She said, “I gave him receive their checks in a supplemental run set for later this week. the defense of a local man who my opinions on the case. He A DHR official explained that the issuance of paychecks is something that they have no control was charged with the murder of requested further work to assist over. She urged parents to be patient and understand that inputting information for 800 people is not his wife. him with his defense. an easy task, and there is a routing process that involves paperwork being shuffled through different Samoa News was recently “On December 29th, we pro- government entities for review, including approval from directors whose departments employ SYEP contacted by an off-island vided the work product he had (Continued on page 7) medical expert, Tara M Godoy, requested. BSN, RN, LNC, who says the “On January 5th, 2017, local Public Defender’s Office we contacted him to confirm never paid for her work — receipt of the work product to review and report on dis- and to inquire about the unpaid covery submitted for the case invoices. He responded with: of Mataupu Mamona, a father “Hi Tara, that was tried for the murder of I am in receipt of the ques- his wife that his 9-year-old son tions. And the two invoices claimed he witnessed. have been submitted. C M Godoy is a Forensic and I will be meeting with sev- Legal Nurse Consultant, who Y K eral of the doctors and nurses met Douglas Fiaui, who is head toward the end of next week, of the local PD Office, at a con- and will let you know how ference in Las Vegas in early things go with the questions. 2016, where she had given a Thanks” presentation on strangulation. The Mataupu Mamona case She told Samoa News her “areas went to trial on January 24th of expertise include strangula- of this year, and according to tion, blunt force trauma, and Godoy, contact with Public general medical record review Defender Fiaui has not hap- and analysis.” pened since January 5, 2017, She said, “I followed up with despite multiple attempts to Mr. Fiaui after the conference reach him by both phone and and at that time he indicated email. Roadside fundraisers are again on the rise as school sports associations, church youth groups, he had a case he wanted me to Godoy has not been paid and various organizations take to the roads to raise funds for different activities. These Tafuna High assist him on. for her work to date, and said, School students were seen in the Nu’uuli area last Saturday, holding up “Car Wash” signs. “On October 19, 2016, I “We have contacted him at least Samoa News has received calls from irate drivers asking if this type of fundraising is against the was provided discovery on the once a month and at times once law? It is against the law — has been for about 16 years — and the last time this issue was brought case and Mr. Fiaui submitted a week. When I called, I would up was in the Senate in 2015, where the same concerns arose. The law prohibits fundraising by information on my website, reach his staff and they would anyone standing, dancing, or sitting on the roadside. Fundraising is, however, allowed as long as it’s including checking a box that indicate that they ‘told him to held about 25 feet from the curbside; but there shall be no music. acknowledges the following pay it’.” [photo:THA] (Continued on page 7) Page 2 samoa news, Wednesday July 26, 2017 “Green substance” in Pago Harbor identified as dye, not toxic by Blue Chen-Fruean other individuals had reported Samoa News Correspondent to him that they too had wit- Commander for the United nessed the same disconcerting States Coast Guard (USCG) substance. Lolo told Lt. Stiehl Marine Safety Detachment Unit and AS-EPA Director Ameko in Pago Pago, Lt. Tanner Stiehl Pato that he was bringing the confirmed to Samoa News yes- matter to their attention, so they terday that one of the three inci- can investigate, “to ensure that dents mentioned by Governor the substance is not harmful to Lolo Matalasi Moliga in a July the environment or people.” 13th letter to the USCG and Lolo said he wanted both AS-EPA involved a product ground and marine sources to that is not petroleum-based but be investigated properly, and in consistent with dye used in the addition, “I would like to know fishing industry. the source, if it is harmful, how Lt. Stiehl said the substance long it lasts in the water; and if is not toxic, which is one of the it is an approved chemical, if it concerns voiced by Lolo in his is being used properly, and if letter stating that on three sepa- there are alternatives.” rate occasions over the span of The Governor requested a two weeks, he had seen a green report on any information on the substance floating in the waters matter, and urged that an inves- of Pago Harbor. tigation be launched immedi- According to the Governor, ately, if one was required. (Continued on page 9) American Samoa Legal Aid now accessible in the Manu’a Islands PAGO PAGO, AS — July cant meets the citizenship, 24, 2017 — The American financial and priorities eligi- Samoa Legal Aid (ASLA) is bility criteria for ASLA’s free happy to announce that it has civil legal services. established four ASLA stations An applicant who is eligible in Faleasao, Fitiuta, Ofu and and whose case is accepted by Olosega — in Manu’a — after the ASLA Office can use the receiving a Technology Initia- station to discuss the client’s tive Grant from the Legal Ser- case on Skype with an ASLA vices Corporation. attorney or paralegal and if The grant funds the Manu’a appropriate print, sign, scan, Islands program — Access to send or receive by email, etc. Legal Aid Project — which is the client’s case documents. to aid low income Manu’a resi- This will allow the ASLA dents to access free civil legal client to remain in Manu’a and The majority of workers under the Summer Youth Employment Program were issued paychecks aid services provided by the not be required to expend funds yesterday, while the few who didn’t get paid will receive their checks through a supplemental run ASLA Office in Tutuila. and time to physically travel to scheduled for later this week, according to the DHR. [photo: Sabrina Sinapati] The Manu’a ASLA sta- the ASLA Office at Tutuila for tions are located at the CCCAS case interviews and processing Faleasao Hall (for Faleasao of case documents. and Ta’u village residents), The ASLA stations may AOG Fitiuta Minister’s Office, be used by Manu’a residents CCCAS Ofu Hall and CCCAS without regard to church affilia- Olosega Minister’s Office tion and there is no user fee. (for Olosega and Sili village The ASLA TIG grant pays residents).

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