The captain of the Vatia fautasi Fuao, Senate President Gaoteote Palaie didn’t hold back in telling the Flag Day Fautasi Race Committee that if they can’t do it right, they should not have a fautasi race at all.
Gaoteote was referring to the constant problem of fautasi that start rowing before the starting gun is fired.
He was speaking at a meeting of fautasi captains this afternoon chaired by Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga who heads the 2018 Flag Day Committee, with Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga Tasi Asuega as co chair.
Gaoteote said that he’s praying the Race Committee will be able to get it right for once this Flag Day…that is have a good and fair start.
According to the Fuao Captain, failure to achieve this means all of the preparations, money, and time that villages put in to prepare their long boats and crew for the race are wasted.
Gaoteote said it’s not right that all the time and energy that villages spend to prepare their crew is laid to waste because of a bad start by the committee.
He asked that the committee bring on board young strong men who can help them control the fautasi especially at the start of the race.
Gaoteote advised the committe that they cannot please a few fautasi at the expense of the rest of the longboats and villages who pour so much effort into their preparations.
He said the fautasi are not there for the money but rather to make the fautasi race exciting for the people during Flag Day.
The Fuao captain also pointed that every year the captains sign an agreement that failure to comply results in automatic disqualifications.
But he said the committee has never enforced this.
Thirteen fautasi will be racing in the Flag Day regatta.
The field will include first time entries from the Fono and the Executive branch, as well as a fautasi from Samoa.
Samoan Affairs Secretary Mauga said the identity of the boat from Samoa will not be known until after Samoa’s general elections tomorrow.
There will be two heats for the Flag Day Fautasi Race and the top winners will compete in the finals scheduled for Saturday, April 16.
The finalists will be determined by their finishing time and not by placing.
