Gusting winds and heavy rains grounded ferry travels between the main islands today, Thursday 16 January 2020.
Safety concerns for the travelling public and the crew forced the Samoa Shipping Corporation to cancel all travels.
The 5.00am weather advisory from the Met Office for the day noted an ‘….active convergence zone continues to remain within the vicinity of Samoa with heavy downpour and gusty activities.’
The Seventh Day Adventist Church College, Lalovaea, school dux award of 2019 went to 18-year-old Commerce student, Angellyn Fa’aleiua.
Her coveted academic award was presented at the school prize giving today at Lalovaea.
The annual end of the year event was postponed from last year 2019 by the measles epidemic and it was combined from primary up to the college levels.
Samoa Rugby Union is determined to increase women’s participation in rugby around the country, in keeping with World Rugby edict of actively promoting and improving women’s rugby around the rugby playing world.
With that in mind, SRU rugby development division, has this week called for entries for its first women’s tournament for the start of the decade.
After twenty years, Brother Kevin O`Malley returns to Samoa. He has been appointed President of St. Joseph`s College, as well as the CEO of the College`s Governance Board. Initially the positions will be on a part-time basis until his current contract with the Catholic Education Office in American Samoa is completed in early July, 2020.
A combined team of Samoan overseas general practitioners, surgeons and anesthetists, mostly from New Zealand, are rounding up their final week of a two weeks voluntary help out at the TTM Hospital to give the local staff a working break.
Consulting surgeon in Adelaide, Australia, Leafitaitu Dr Jimmy Eteuati is at the 7-member team
His team is the second to follow in on a two weeks voluntary work arrangement under the Samoan Doctors Worldwide Volunteer Service (SDWVS).
The daily Samoa Observer newspaper was questioned in the Supreme Court on Friday about its vetting practices for publishing Letters to the Editor (LTE).
Selling a village experience is what Tailua Beach Fales at Manase in Savai’i offers and has been promoting in the last four years at the Samoa Tourism Exchange.<
Plastic bags selling at .50 sene for one is like killing two birds with one stone. Trust the business brains to come up with that one.
The Manumalo Baptist Primary School and Kindergarten has defended the holding of the end of year school graduation yesterday, despite the threat of the measles epidemic.
The University of the South Pacific (USP) Open Day on Friday was more than giving college level students the chance to learn more about study opportunities available at the campus.
...where the sight of a car being pushed out of the inter-island ferry is not new. Happens all the time when vehicles, for as many reasons as you care to count with your fingers will stall inside the boat.
Usually the poor sailors are the ones to try and push it out and it will be doing them a huge favour if it's not too big.
The Marist Old Pupils Association, MOPA, executive and senior association members paid tribute to former President, Moananu Ioane Filemu, who was laid to rest yesterday.
Moananu passed away from ill health at 68.
“ He was a leader and a humble person as well, his last name Filemu says it all,” Tuala Farani Chan Tung said in eulogy at the family service on Thursday.
Deidre Fanene
Two of the 11 suspects who are charged separately in connection to the raid at Faleatiu in November told the court that they were weeding the taro plantation at Faleatiu when the police raided the area.
The pair told the court they weren’t at the marijuana plantation but rather at the taro plantation.
The Ministry of Justice & Courts Administration (MJCA) Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aumua Roni Fereti has confirmed that Samoa’s Acting Chief Justice is Vui Clarence Nelson.
Aumua, who took the helm at the courthouse after the suspension of MJCA CEO Papalii John Taimalelagi, told Newsline Samoa the directive was issued from Cabinet this week.
The Samoa Shipping Corporation Maritime School at Vaitele graduates 136 sailors today and 5 of them are women.
Among the graduates are 5–four men and one female graduating with the higher qualification of Master Class 5. Another higher qualification awarded today is Engine Class 5 to 4 men.
More members have been added to Samoa’s Bar with the admission of six lawyers yesterday.
The admission ceremony was presided over by the Chief Justice of Samoa Patu Falefatu Sapolu.
The six were admitted after successfully completing their Professional Diploma in Legal Practice PDLP.
One of the lawyers admitted yesterday was 25 year old Quentin Sauaga of Vaiusu of the Office of the Attorney General.
Sauaga said he was attracted to the law profession because he has siblings who are lawyers and also because it’s a good profession.
Deidre Fanene
Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, is not a sit in the office general. He is a lead from the front leader and has proven it by leading several illegal drug raids in the villages.
He defended his frontline preferences to lead his police tactical team at the risk of his safety and protection as the kind of lead by example that suits him.
The truth behind the ‘grenade threat’ at Salelologa this week will finally be decided when the police tests the alleged explosives if they are the real things or toy dummies.
Top placed inside sources closely linked to the investigations of the alleged threat, told Newsline Samoa yesterday that there are doubts.
The Minister of Revenue and Chairman of the Liquor Board, Tialavea John Hunt, is hoping more will be revealed in the influence of illegal drugs on violence, when the new Alcohol Control Bill 2019 becomes law.
Tialavea tabled the bill at the recent session of Parliament with provisions to empower the police to take blood samples from suspects of serious violence resulting in death.
A Samoan police officer was the top Coast Guard student in an international training he attended.
Constable Silivelio Lui received the Outstanding Students Award in a US Coast Guard Training he attended in the United States.
Swimmers Charlotte Robin of New Caledonia and Rahiti De Vos of Tahiti – have made history in Samoa as the first athletes to win gold medals in the XVI Pacific Games.
Robin (women's) and De Vos (men's) won gold in the 500km Open Water Swimming event held at the Sheraton in Mulifanua.
New Caledonia won four medals in the event: two silvers and one bronze.
Fiji claimed one bronze medal in the women's open water swimming.
Former Speakers of the Parliament of Samoa had only compliments for the new parliament of Samoa which was opened yesterday.
Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua said this parliamentary building is superior than the last one.
Tauva Lima-Tavae
The Office of the Ombudsman and National Human Rights is doubtful that racism is a problem in Samoa.
The reaction was in response to a blatant attack on a Chinese woman recently, in her family shop at Falelauniu, by a young Samoan male.
The Sa’anapu Village Council is making it tough on parents who do not send their children to school with a $1000 fine they will have to pay.
The fine applies to students in both primary and secondary schools.
Lotu Tamaiti or White Sunday, is always about a happy occasion for families with all the attention on children, but for the suicide watchdog organisation, Fa’ataua Le Ola, the risk of adverse effects on poor families leading to depression cannot be overlooked.
Faataua le Ola Chief Executive Officer Papali’itele Caroline Paul-Ah Chong confirmed a suicide White Sunday Awareness Campaign, 15-day media blitz they have launched
“But in the words of a well-known quotation, “a bend is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.”
Hmmm….now that is quite an interesting one coming from the acting CJ Vui.
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