Interior’s Asst. Secretary Kia’aina to Give Flag Day Speech

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Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas, Esther Kia’aina will be the keynote speaker at the 2016 official Flag Day program which will be celebrated Monday, April18 at the Veterans Memorial Stadium.
This will be the first time in many years that a federal government official will speak at the annual commemoration of the first raising of the US flag on local soil.
Lt Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga said at a cabinet meeting this morning that among  VIPs attending the Flag Day festivities are Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Ulu o Tokelau and the Governor of the Northern Marianas Eloy Inos.

Lemanu led the meeting as Governor Lolo Moliga was apparently under the weather.
The Governor’s Chief of Staff Fiu Johnny Saelua told KHJ News that Samoa’s Head of State Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi is also attending. 
The lt. governor said officials from Hawaii and the mainland have also accepted invitations.  
A Marine Band from Kaneohe Hawaii will again be part of the Flag Day celebrations as they have the past few years.  
Chief of Staff Fiu says the band will also perform at local high schools.
Director of Youth and Women Affairs Jonathan Fanene informed the meeting that the government is taking care of the malaga from Manono.
Manono is fielding a fautasi and will also perform traditional entertainment.  
The group will be housed at the Pago Pago Youth Center and ASG is providing money to DYWA to host  the visitors.
Fanene says the village of Pago Pago will host an ava ceremony to welcome the Manono malaga.  
As of today the size of the group was not certain.
At today’s cabinet meeting, Lt . Governor Lemanu encouraged all directors to participate in all of the Flag Day events since this is the end of four years of their first administration.
He also asked the cabinet to stay until all of the festivities are complete.  
Lemanu said each year its noticeable that by the time the flag is lowered at the closing ceremony, there’s hardly anyone in the stadium and this is always visible on television.
Secretary of Samoan Affairs, Mauga Tasi Asuega asked the cabinet to do something new this year.  
He said when Samoa holds national celebrations, the people don’t leave until the end.
Mauga also said  that the true spirit of the Flag Day celebration should reflect the people of Tutuila and Manu’a’s  gratitude to God for his blessing upon American Samoa all these years.  
He said it should not be about the money but an offering of thanksgiving for what God has blessed American Samoa with.
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