In his inaugural address yesterday at the Veterans Memorial Stadium, Gov. Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono revealed the theme for his second administration, chosen from the words of English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Light tomorrow, with today”.

It was a beautiful late afternoon in the territory, as dignitaries, VIPs and other guests gathered for the inauguration of the second term of the Togiola/Faoa administration. Also revealed yesterday was the Department of Public Safety’s new uniform for both police officers and fire bureau personnel.

Togiola told the gathering that yesterday’s celebration brought together leaders and people... meant to fashion a strategy that would secure for us a prosperous and happy future.

“Think of this as a moment, an opportunity that was divinely granted so you and I may refocus and renew our dedication to the pursuit of higher goals in life, while preserving our heritage as Samoans,” he said.

According to the governor, the territory has seen changes in the past years, from new roads to state of the art schools to improved health care and a raised level of individual family income, including a high standard of living in American Samoa.

In an effort to march in step with modern civilization, Togiola said, “we have become global and today....is an opportunity to pause, check and refocus. As we go global we will gain the world and lose ourselves.”

REFOCUS ON CULTURAL VALUE AND ITS PRESERVATION

Togiola recalled hearing the youth asking, what he describes as “familiar” and “shattering questions” such as “Who am I? Why am I here? Why I am doing what I’m doing? Where Am I going?”

“My own question is - Why? Why has it become [common]for our youth to pose these queries? Because they have come to a crossroad, a point of transition, a threshold and they are uncertain about what to do and where to turn,” the governor said. “They know their heritage is two-fold: Samoan and American. But for some of them, two parts are not blending very well. They realize they must have lost a connection... somewhere along the way.”

“The question suggests, quite appropriately, that we may have moved too far, too fast. And in our desire to be modern and global, we fail to teach and demonstrate by example, the true values of fa’aSamoa.”

Togiola said even many in the ranks of young adults now wish they were properly instructed in these values, raised in the practical aspects and trained in the finer points of their culture.

“All these were downgraded, neglected and considered less important in our rush to go modern. The correct and sure answers to the queries of the youth, may be found only by a return to a policy of instructions in the basics of our culture - the fa’aSamoa,” he said. “We instruct and then live the moral values, practice the ethics and appreciate the completeness and beauty of our culture.”

Togiola said the saddest and most alarming incident of the recent election was the day a youth asked, “if our Samoan culture was still important.”

In response, a candidate stated that it may have become impractical, burdensome and an obstacle to development, according to the governor.

“As Samoans we live our culture because it is a living culture. But we have always been amenable to and capable of adjustments, adaptations, slight changes and so forth,” he said. “Blaming our fa’aSamoa for everything that goes wrong- is wrong.”

He said the Samoan culture “is our haven, our unfailing safety net.”

A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

He said the next four years is a window of opportunity to fashion and then embark on a major undertaking in the area of cultural customs and language preservation.

“We have often blamed the erosion of our values....on western ways. Today, I think the greatest threat....is from within the system itself, from within ourselves,” he said. “We are to be blamed. Now we must rise to preserve the best of what we still have.”

“I call upon the traditional leadership, and local government system, the legislature, churches, social organizations that promote the Samoan way of life, let us put our shoulders together under this burden,” he said.

While the perfect setting for basic instructions in culture are the families and villages, Togiola said, “we shall call upon the systems in our possession - education and local government - to be the initiators.”

“Just as No Child be left behind in the knowledge of math and science, so must no son or daughter of Samoa be denied an opportunity to learn, live and enjoy their culture,” he said.

“The duality and the compatibility of American and Samoan values, when properly practiced, is unquestionable towards the values of the founding fathers of our nation - fear of God, sharing and looking out for each other, desire for a life of peace and tranquillity are the same as those of Tagaloa and the very first Samoans,” he said.

The governor pointed out that the refocus on cultural value and its preservation, however, is not a sign of ... reduction in the level of general development.

“The pressure of our population growth, demands that we intensify the building of the infrastructure, and improve the delivery of government services until everyone in the territory is provided equal opportunity to receive and enjoy these services,” he said. “Unfortunately, development has more than financial costs.”

He said solutions demand assignment of sufficient resources, both personnel and material and “we shall move in that direction.”

The statement, “the youth is our future” must no longer be just a throw-away speech line, he said.

HEALTH CARE

The governor also spoke of health care, which he says continues to show signs of improvement by last year. He said the government wants to create a pool of locals trained and skilled in all aspects of health care.

“It is a costly endeavor. Several years of investment will pass before we see results,” he said and noted that the private sector has grown in recent years and urged them as well to undertake social responsibilities.

SEIZE THE MOMENT, EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY

The governor also spoke with pride and congratulated the new members of the Fono, especially the new legislators, who are also very young and said, “I’m impressed.”

“Greed is rendering the financial and political system of our nation asunder. That’s the lesson of the present dilemma facing our country,” said the governor. “Fellow leaders, let us steer away from that course. Brothers and sisters in leadership, I urge you to seize the moment, embrace the opportunity to be counted among the servants of your people.”

“Let our days in these offices testify to how well we serve. As we pursue various aspect of development, remember with appreciation, the generous attitude of the Congress of the United States and the people they represent.”

Togiola also noted with appreciation the work by the Interior Department for American Samoa and called upon all program managers to use this DOI assistance with the “greatest of diligence and care.”

“Our policy is zero tolerance for abuse and misuse,” he said.

CLOSING REMARKS

In closing he thanked the U.S. military for its continued relationship with American Samoa as well as the visit by Governor Howard Dean, the outgoing chair of the Democratic National Committee.