The American Samoa Community College is organizing a Congressional Forum for next Tuesday, October 23rd from 12:30 to 1:50 pm in the ASCC Multi Purpose Center.
Incumbent Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, along with challengers Tuika Tuika Jr. and Meleane Chapman, have accepted invitations to participate in the Forum, which is being organized by the ASCC Business Department and its official student club the Business Ambassadors of American Samoa (BAOA).
The Forum theme is “Voice For Tomorrow,” and each candidate will be asked to share their vision for American Samoa, highlighting their list of priorities if elected or re-elected to Congress.
The candidates will be asked about their personal experience of working within the federal government, and also what federal initiatives they will advocate for to benefit the Territory. The candidates will each have 20 minutes to give an initial presentation, followed by a 10 minute rebuttal period to respond to each other. The remainder of the Forum will consist of the Congressional contenders addressing questions from the audience.
BAOA, which will host the event, is comprised of students majoring in Business Management and Accounting, and as such, they consider themselves stakeholders in the economic future of American Samoa, over which the Territory’s Congressional representative exerts a great influence. As is customary with ASCC events involving the community, BAOA has extended the invitation to the College’s administration, faculty, staff and students to attend and participate in the Forum, along with the general public.
Business Department chairperson Dr. Faofua Faatoafe says “Our institution holds as one of its Core Values the respect for tradition and culture,” said “Our Congressional Forum, like the many before it at ASCC, is part of a democratic tradition where candidates who want to serve in government come face to face with the people whom the wish to represent, and explain why they are the best person for the job. This is part of the tradition of democracy and the culture of accountability.”
