...As Dark Ages Return To Pago

Promises of improved electrical power conditions in American Samoa have fallen through. For almost five months the island of Tutuila has been on severe power rationing, begun by the breakdown of one of the main generators at the Satala power plant.

Public Works Director Lloyd Gallagher had promised that the power situation would be improved by July 1, when the new SUSI mil lion generating plant in the Tafuna area would go on the line. However, due to negligence, one of the two generators at the Tafuna plant was badly damaged during the testing period. Then two more generators went out at the Satala plant, reducing the power supply to about 30 per cent.

Large areas of Tutuila have been without power during the days for many months and other areas have been hit by frequent unscheduled power cuts. Gallagher said the latest crisis would be the most severe yet, and there was little chance on im mediate improvement.

Many businesses have suffered loss of revenue and spoilage of goods, especially frozen foods, during the crisis. Most homes have been with out power, especially during the early evening when power consumption is high. KVZK television has been operating on a shortened schedule

and on only one channel. For several weeks KVZK had been announcing that full broadcasting services would begin on July 1, because of “predicted improvements in the power situation.”

Instructional television, which is heavily used in the schools of American Samoa, was off the air during the last month of school.

Many other services, such as WVUV radio station, Lyndon B.

Johnson Tropical Medical Centre and Pago Pago International Airport have been operating on auxiliary generators F 6 ‘ , ... - T . By the middle of July, consumen patience was exhausted and about 100 of them mounted a demonstration in Pago Pago for the eyes of Stanley S. Carpenter, America s Director f Territorial Affairs who was in American Samoa for meetings with government officials.

Waving banners bearing legends like “Electrical power to the people” and “We need electricity and water”, the demonstrators faced Carpenter on the steps of the Legislature building on July 13.

The demonstrators were led by Taleni Aumoeualogo, who described himself as a “local citizen of American Samoa”. Taleni, who said that the group was not a formal organisation, said he hoped to “get a response from Carpenter relative to

the long-term electrical power prob lems in American Samoa because he is in a position to help us”, Taleni pointed out that the elec trical power operated water pumps in most villages and when the electricity was off, the water was off also, Carpenter told them that he had “talked with the people responsible for the power” and he could assure ' he Pf°P le that We are over the ’ ... , . u Af ‘ er a brl f exchange w.th the cr °» d - Catjenter addressed a joint session of the Legislature, where he was asked the same questions and where he the answers , Electrical power problems in American Samoa however do not seem t 0 be improving but Pub ic Works Director Lloyd Gallagher said he hoped .. We win be out of th woods b the end o( Jul .. • A Japanese company has signed an agreement with the West ern Samoa Government to build a 200-room hotel near Faleolo Airport, The hotel will help to cater for an expected influx of Japanese visitors to both American and Western Samoa. The Japanese company, Japan View Hotel Co, of Tokyo, will manage the hotel, which will be partly financed by the Western Samoa Agricultural Public Corpora tion.