If elected, “I will put American Samoa and our people above all else,” declared congressional candidate Paepaetele Mapu Saei Ava Paogofie Jamias during his official campaign kick off last Saturday at the Maliu Mai Beach Resort where friends, family members and campaign committee members gathered to show support of the candidate.
At the outset of the four-hour campaign event, Rev. Fouvale Asiata of the CCCAS Matu’u and Faganeanea, who is also a retired US Army Chaplain, was the guest speaker and recalled how Paepaetele “helped us out, the young [military] officers at the time. We were struggling how to handle, being a Samoan officer in the US military.”
Rev. Asiata said he does not question the candidate’s ability to run for office because, “truly he has all the leadership skills to handle and to deliver and to represent our territory at the highest political level.”
“I can testify that Mapu is one of the best candidates to represent our people in Congress,” he said adding that as a church minister and a chaplain, he prays to God to deliver the person to serve American Samoa in Congress. He wishes Paepaetele the best as well as other candidates running for public office this year.
Former congressional candidate and US military retiree, Rosie Tago Lancaster, who was also the Mistress of Ceremonies, told the gathering that Paepaetele was instrumental in bringing the Army Reserve to the territory.
“His vision is to serve the people of American Samoa. His mission is to built upon the good relationship we’ve already established with the US and to make sure that our needs here in American Samoa... are met.”
In giving her 100% support for Paepaetele, Lancaster said “Mapu is a leader, proven leader, and he’s already been tested of what he can accomplished and just imagine of what he can do to bring more for American Samoa.”
She cited some of the needs of American Samoa that Paepaetele can do, such as a new hospital and improved health care.
In his speech, Paepaetele said, “I’ve been very blessed” and added that, “I’m not a politician, I’m a worker. The reason why I’m running for congress is because I feel 100% in my heart I can serve and represent American Samoa’s best interests in Washington D.C.”
Paepaetele, who at 20-years old became a military man joining the US National Guard while at the University of Hawaii, shared with the audience that in 1980 he came to American Samoa with a mission to build a provisional detachment unit — a temporary unit, which if it didn’t work, “close up shop [and] go back.”
However, “I determined against all the odds to make it work,” he said, adding that he came here on a three-year tour, but ended up with six years, and four and half months, “until I felt in my heart that the unit was strong enough to stand on its own.”
“Today we reap the fruits of our labor. There are many of us that have gone on to retire and our retirement stays right here and helps our economy,” said Paepaetele, adding that he is an international sports coach and recently served his second-tenure as an Olympic official at the Rio Olympics in boxing.
“I will put American Samoa and our people above all else. I will work with all our local leaders for the betterment of American Samoa and will try and open as many doors in D.C. to help this place,” he said.
“I do know that if elected, I am nothing more that your messenger. I am responsible to you — the people — first,” he said to applause from the audience and went on to touch on several issues of importance.
Among them is a need of a hospital and recalled that a year-ago in November, which has 30 days, American Samoa had 31 deaths. One of those deaths, he said, is a Filipino woman — in her 30s — who went to the hospital for a urinary infection, but died four-days later.
“And these poor people have no where to go. I helped them. And that is why I feel American Samoa needs a [new] hospital,” he said and acknowledged that a new hospital costs a lot of money.
“I’ve learned one thing, and the Army taught us this, if we unite, if we all work together and the resources comes in and goes strictly for the purpose... we can accomplish, we can do anything. We can built anything we desire... if we work hard, it can be done,” Paepaetele said.
He also says that the Veterans Administration plays a big part of this because there are so many local veterans.
“I do believe the timing is right for us to ask for a [new] hospital. And how will I do this? I will not only knock on doors, I will seek the help from my Hawai’i brothers and sisters who can vote in Congress,” he said referring to the Hawai’i’s congressional members, because American Samoa’s Delegate to the US House can’t vote on the floor, but can do in committee.
Additionally, he will approach a Four-Star general in the US Army, who oversees the Pacific for help.
Other areas he touched on were:
AIR SERVICE
Getting “a permanent waiver to free us from this cabotage restrictive law.”
He said Alaska was under the same boat, as American Samoa and “I hear now, Alaska has gotten a permanent waiver. If Alaska can, why can’t we? So again there is work to do there but I’m not afraid to knock on those doors.”
ECONOMY
Find other export areas other than fish, “identify available federal programs for new businesses start-ups.”
He said every time he calls his credit card company, somebody answers from the Philippines. “Why can’t we do that here?” he asked and noted that another economic idea is grass fertilizers.
“We have to be innovative and there is a big, big world out there,” he said, adding that these are ideas that he would like to work with Commerce Department and the American Samoa Community College.
For tourism, Paepaetele said what about a Christ Statue — similar to that in Rio de Janeiro — where there is a train to take visitors up to the site on the mountain.
“Why can’t we work with our government, and maybe with the church, put a Christ statue and do a train up the Fagasa pass and tourists will come and that money can go to our hospital and our schools,” he said.
EDUCATION
Paepaetele currently runs the JROTC program and he said that I feel very sorry for a lot of my teacher friends. “These people spent a lot of money going to college and the pay does not add up of what they’re getting here, which I believe should be an equal affect to the output or quality of education that we’re getting.”
“So the challenge is, to try to get more federal funds to increase teachers salary. My heart goes out to the teachers and I will be their biggest supporter in this area,” he said to applause from the audience.
ENVIRONMENT
“We need to really identify and start working” to address the issue of global warning and sea water rising because it’s “very, very real,” he said. For example, the Pala Lagoon, is a “natural jewel. I can visualize fishing farming.”
However, he says that place needs to be dredged to rid of the cinder from the run off from other areas. “The place gets shallow, when the sea water rises, that’s what’s happening. We need to fix that,” he said.
And “we need to look at the sun, solar energy, wind and maybe the waves. This kind of thing saves money,” he said and noted that there is a an area off Fogagogo at 2,000 feet depth deep, the water is 44 degrees — that’s above freezing.
“If we can pipe that water — just like what they have in Kona, Hawai’i — that cold water can cool the entire Tualauta area,” he said, adding that it again takes money but it’s worth exploring.
Another issue is the shoreline erosion. “We’re losing a lot of land to the ocean. And yes its very expensive but if we see what they did in Nu’uuli with shoreline protection, it has prevented erosion,” he said. “So I know that’s expensive but we will try to present our case and right now that is one of Obama’s big initiatives on global warning and sea rising.”
Paepaetele said there is a lot of water going into the ocean during rain. “We need to identify, I’ve already identify some areas, we need to built a reservoir that catch all that water and do other things,” he said. He believes a reservoir needs to be built on Tutuila as well as in the Manu’a islands.
MANU’A SERVICE
And finally, “assist Manu’a with its air and ocean transportation situation,” he said and noted that federal funds can be sought to improve the Ofu, Ta’u and Faleasao harbors. “Right now if the sea is too rough with high waves, the boats cannot go into the harbors,” he said.