LBJ Hospital Welcomes “Local Girl” Home As
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Buckle up! World Tuna Day is May 2 — TODAY. It recognizes the critical role tuna FATALITIES CRASHES plays in the marine ecosystems. It was first celebrated in 2012, and is the brain- 1 170 child of the PNA — the eight Pacific island LOCAL HIGHWAYS LOCAL HIGHWAYS countries that are Parties to the Nauru 01-01-14 TO DATE 01-01-14 TO DATE Agreement, which has jointed together to manage shared tuna resources. See story inside for PNA & Pew Char- itable Trusts’ latest project using “fish OFFICE OF highway SAFETY aggregating devices” (FADs) as a means to monitor, control, and survey fishing in the western and central Pacific ocean — Oceanside “making increasing accountability. [courtesy photo] a name” for Samoa in U.S. rugby… B1 ONLINE @ SAMOANEWS.COM Judge declines to C M dismiss all charges Y K against StarKist DAILY CIRCULATION 7,000 3 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2014 $1.00 Governor to USDOL: LBJ Hospital welcomes OT will not be paid “local girl” home as CFO by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamamu, Samoa News Reporter until he sees report “In general what made me come back is the desire to given back to my community, that pretty much is the driver and we by Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu, Samoa News Reporter have the other pieces in there. I am from here, my family is here, “Until the DOL (United States Department of Labor) pro- but mostly you have to have that drive… I knew I could do some- vides the Governor with a copy of its Investigation Report for thing, and was willing to offer… that’s the main reason,” said the his review, the payment of overtime will be left in abeyance,” newly hired Hospital Chief Financial Officer, Pauline Gebauer, was the explanation from the Governor’s Executive Assistant, who has signed a 3-year contract with the LBJ Medical Center. Iulogologo Joseph Pereira in response to Samoa News queries Ms Gebauer has been in the Health Finance field for over late Wednesday evening. 20 years. She told Samoa News she grew up in the territory As reported in yesterday’s front page article, while the and while she was away, her heart was set on coming back. The Treasurer says there is money available to pay the said over- LBJ CFO said back in the day when their store “Aiga Basket” time — which amounts to $144,000 — Governor Lolo Mata- was open, she worked there, however with the increase of Asian lasi Moliga has not authorized the payment. Samoa News businesses in the territory, and a bad economy, their store was understands Lolo has instructed the Department of Human forced to close. “So I left for vacation and that’s where I decided Resources not to act on anything, until he consults with the to stay and restart my life. As a result, I ended up working in the USDOL’s main office in Honolulu, Hawai’i. healthcare field,” Gebauer said. Iulogologo told Samoa News yesterday morning, “the Gov- She told Samoa News she first learned of the opening from ernor discussed with the DOL Director here in Hawai’i the her eldest brother. “When I came to visit my mom, my brothers demand by a DOL official in American Samoa to our Depart- and my sister last year May-June, there was an opening at the ment of Human Resources to pay overtime for employees hospital, and my brother Ryanny told me about the opening. determined by DOL based on its investigation.” “I applied,” she said fighting back her tears, when she spoke Also Iu said, “The Governor informed the Director that he her brother’s name — Ryanny has since passed away. Newly hired LBJ hospital should be given the chance to review the basis of the findings “But when I had applied, I think it was the tail end of the Chief Financial Officer, Pau- of the DOL Investigation Report before the government agrees process and they (the hospital board) had already found an appli- line Gebauer — returning to to pay the overtime DOL claims must be paid.” cant. But I’m such a stickler, you know if you’re going to put American Samoa to give back to her community. [photo: JL] (Continued on page 15) (Continued on page 15) C M Y K Pictured here are the four submissions made by Faga’itua High School senior students who are taking part in the local high school competition being spearheaded by the DPS Office of Highway Safety. At far right is David Bird, OHS Occupant Safety Program Manager.Read story inside for full details. [photo: BC] Page 2 samoa news, Friday, May 2, 2014 LOCAL SEAFOOD SAFETY WORKSHOP LAND COMMISSION NOTICE is hereby given that FONOTI TAFA’IFA AUFATA of TAFUNA, American Samoa, has executed a LEASE AGREEMENT to a certain parcel of land commonly known as ALATUTUI which is situated in the village of TAFUNA, in the County of TUALAUTA, WESTERN District, Island of Tutuila, American Samoa. Said LEASE AGREEMENT is now on file with the Territorial Registrar Fresh fish training courses to be forwarded to the Governor respecting his approval or disapproval thereof according to the laws of American Samoa. Said instrument names NAOMI F. ONEY, FA’ATAFUNA A. ONEY, VILI D. ONEY and BEULAH ONEY as LESSEES. Any person who wish, may file his objection in writing with the Secretary of the Land Commission before the 23RD day of MAY, 2014. It should be noted that any objection must here… courtesy of WPFMC clearly state the grounds therefor. by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent with local tuna processors and vessel owners POSTED: MARCH 24 thru MAY 23, 2013 SIGNED: Taito S.B. White, Territorial Registrar A seafood safety workshop set for next and operators at the Samoa Tuna Processors week that will benefit local restaurant and store site in Atu’u. KOMISI O LAU’ELE’ELE owners is being sponsored jointly by the Hono- The seafood safety and fresh fish training O LE FA’ASALALAUGA lenei ua faia ona o FONOTI TAFA’IFA AUFATA ole nu’u o TAFUNA, lulu-based Western Pacific Regional Fishery workshops were among the recommendations Amerika Samoa, ua ia faia se FEAGAIGA LISI, i se fanua ua lauiloa o ALATUTUI, e i le nu’u o Management Council (WPFMC) and the local approved during the WPFC’s 158th meeting TAFUNA i le itumalo o TUALAUTA, Falelima i SISIFO ole Motu o TUTUILA Amerika Samoa. O lea Commerce Department. last October in Honolulu, where the Council FEAGAIGA LISI ua i ai nei i teuga pepa ale Resitara o Amerika Samoa e fia auina atu ile Kovana Scheduled for May 6-8, the workshop directed its staff to “assist the American Samoa Sili mo sana fa’amaoniga e tusa ai ma le Tulafono a Amerika Samoa. O lea mata’upu o lo’o training will be conducted by Dr. John Kaneko, government to develop seafood safety and han- ta’ua ai NAOMI F. ONEY, FA’ATAFUNA A. ONEY, VILI D. ONEY and BEULAH ONEY. the Program Manager of the Hawaii Seafood dling training programs and other marketing A iai se tasi e fia fa’atu’i’ese i lea mata’upu, ia fa’aulufaleina mai sa na fa’atu’iesega tusitusia Council, a non-profit organization. ile Failautusi o lea Komisi ae le’i o’o ile aso 23 o ME, 2014. Ia manatua, o fa’atu’iesega uma strategies to promote local seafood markets, lava ia tusitusia manino mai ala uma e fa’atu’iese ai. 04/02 & 05/02/14 All 25 slots allocated for the training have which would benefit the local economy and been filled and the attendees will receive certi- enhance food security.” fication in seafood safety, a certification which Ilaoa said the recommendation was made usually costs around $5,000 or more when by local Council members Taulapapa William taking the test in Hawai’i. Sword (Vice Chairman), Port Administration “This is something that is very beneficial to director Taimalelagi Dr. Claire T. Poumele, and the participating local businesses as the training Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources is being offered free of cost and having this type director Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga. of certification will be an important achieve- He said the Council members from Hawaii, ment that signifies to consumers that those busi- Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mar- nesses have been trained to provide the freshest, iana Islands and American Samoa voted unani- highest quality seafood to their customers,” mously to approve the recommendation. He Nate Ilaoa, local coordinator for WPFC, told also said the fresh fish workshop with the pro- Samoa News yesterday. cessors and vessel owners and operators as well Kaneko along with Nelson Aberilla of the as the seafood safety and handling certification Hawai’i-based United Fishing Agency are con- are all paid for by the Council in response to ducting a fresh fish training workshop tomorrow recommendations from the local members. (all ANSWERs ON PAGE 14) samoa news, Friday, May 2, 2014 Page 3 Judge declines to dismiss all charges against StarKist Inc. AMONG THE MOST SERIOUS: ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD by Fili Sagapolutele Tuna is under-filled and thus PREEMPTIONS Samoa News Correspondent substantially underweight, Another major argument for StarKist Inc., has filed a does not contain an adequate dismissal by StarKist targets new amended motion to dis- amount of tuna for a 5-ounce the accusation (under counts: miss a lawsuit filed at the fed- can, and is illegal for sale in the five to seven) dealing with eral court in Oakland, Calif., United States.” violation of California’s “Con- against the Pittsburgh based Further, plaintiff “relied on sumer Legal Remedies Act”, company over allegations of StarKist’s false representations “Unfair Competition Law”, fraud and negligent misrepre- in purchasing the product” and and “False Advertising Law”.