Villages with fautasi participating in the finals of the Coastweeks Fautasi Challenge on Friday will earn $5,000 if they complete the race and also implement other activities to promote ocean resource management.
The activities include:
- adopting a coastal or water shed area and recruit a faith based organization in the village to maintain and keep it clean;
- install a marine entrapment to collect trash from streams and prevent them from being washed into the ocean,
- monitor new construction, excavation and other land use that could cause run off into the ocean and
- participate in awareness workshops sponsored by the Coastal Zone Management Program of the Department of Commerce.
Aioletuna Sunia says all villages with entries in the Coastweeks Fautasi Challenge have to meet these conditions before they can receive the $5,000 cash award.
Prizes for the finals on Friday are materials and equipment used for landscaping and clean up of coastal areas.
Preliminary races were held two weeks ago to decide lanes for the finals.
There will be two heats and the best times from both heats will determine the final placings.
For the first heat, in the order of the lanes are Vatia, Fagaalu, Leone Manu’a Executive Branch-public and private sector.
The second heat will have Aua, Fagasa, Pago Pago, and the Fono fautasi which will have Fono and Paramount Builders rowers.
According to Sunia, many of the rowers are beginners and villages are using the Coastweek Fautasi Ocean Challenge to introduce their young crew members to the sport.
