Haydon Starts By Making

Changes In U.S. Samoa

John M. Haydon’s presence has been more than felt in his first two months as American Samoa’s top executive; and few can disagree that he has tackled his unfamiliar and tough job with zeal.

Most government departments have come under close financial and effici ency scrutiny, several new bodies

have appeared, a close look was had at the territory’s future budget needs, the Governor, a former Port Ad ministrator, has applied his experi ence to improving Pago Pago’s dock and storage facilities.

Even cynics who called Governor Haydon’s ambitious August 6 in augural speech ( PIM , September, p. 53) pure public relations have con ceded that Samoa’s new man is get ting into stride at a fast pace.

Among his new appointments are: Thomas K. Thorpe, 39, of Oregon, appointed Attorney - General, Tagoa’i M. Tunoa, a Yale Uni versity graduate, appointed hospital administrator of the Lyndon B. John son Tropical Medical Centre, and Pemerika L. Tauiliili, University of Hawaii graduate, appointed first assist ant director of the Department of Agriculture for two years.

"Partnership"

Two new councils—with Governor Haydon as an ad hoc member of both—have been formed; a six-man Wage Standards Council, with Carl Meeuwsen, director of Administra tive Services, as chairman, and an eight-man Education Council, with Robert Williams, acting director of education, as chairman.

A “partnership approach” between members of Samoa’s elected Legis lature and the Governor’s staff has begun, initially on budget sitting and education policy and the Governor has outlined three special guidelines Samoa will have to follow to win grant programmes over and above its normal budget from the US Gov ernment; an orderly territory budget process, non-duplication of funds from various US Government depart ments and a fully-informed joint budget review committee.

With several departmental heads, Governor Haydon made an inspec tion trip to the Manua Islands, a part of Samoa often described as neglected, compared to development on the main island of Tutuila, and a new government department—Man power Resources—was formed to hand’e all the activities of the per sonnel office, compile various stat istics on government and private

business and operate the workmen’s compensation programme.

Another visit was to Hawaii to discuss a filariasis research programme, expansion of coast guard services in Samoa, future airline operations into Samoa, and commercial, sports and tuna fishing possibilities. After Hawaii, he represented Samoa at the US National Governors’ Conference at Colorado.

Things seem to be happening in American Samoa and latest news is Governor Hay d o n’s predecessor, Owen Aspinall, is to take over as legal advisor to the comptroller in the Guam Government.

Governor Haydon.