Papalii Su’a Lucia Bartley is putting her name in the hat again for one of the two House of Representatives seats for Tuala –uta.
The 66 year old single mother and US Army veteran says she and her family have lived in Tuala-uta for 43 years and she knows the challenges constituents face.
She lists among the reasons why she’s running that she cares, she’s a leader who is willing to fight for what will benefit constituents, that her military travels all over the world has equipped her with ideas of how to improve living conditions in the district.
She’s not afraid to speak up to voice concerns and stop corruption and she doesn’t believe that the current lawmakers are doing enough for Tuala-uta.
She points out that drainage, roads and potholes are still not fixed, and causing damages to vehicles of residents and voters, that the secondary road in Pavaiai hasn’t been repaired and the one in Faleniu is half done and that there haven’t been any new laws introduced to make improvements.
Examples of useful legislation that the would be candidate names are taxing goods from foreign countries like China and Samoa funds allocated to fix roads and taxing remittances that foreign owned businesses send off island.
She says this money can go towards improving infrastructure.
Other issues Papalii hopes to tackle to improve the economy are tourism and farming.
She also wants to do something about the territory’s drug problem.
Papalii also wants to address the issue of private buses not picking up school children because the only pay 25 cents bus fare which is causing children to arrive late at school.
Her solution is to give students $1 coupons to use on private buses.
Another plan is to use veterans to tutor students and help them do well to prepare for college or join the military.
Papalii also wants veterans to have a center for their activities as she points out that the VA Center while available to veterans is not free, there’s a charge.
