In the Page One lead story, indeed the
only page one story, in the December 21 edition of Samoa News, American Samoa
Republican Party Chairman Utu Abe Malae was quoted as saying “We
are not doing enough” to educate Samoan students in math and
science disciplines. Speaking in his capacity as director of the
territory's power authority, Malae said that “the
entire American Samoa school system must
be revamped and follow the example of Manumalo Baptist School.”
Careful
to note that Department of Education Director Vaitinasa Salu
Hunkin-Finau had made a similar proposal, Malae said he would overhaul the
department by creating a semi-autonomous agency like that in the
Northern Marianas, where Malae once served a tour as head of that
government's utility agency. While not further mentioning
Hunkin-Finau by name, his implication was clear when he continued
that “This is just an edifice but the success depends on those who
hold the top positions and the board of directors; i.e., those who
stand on this edifice."
In
other words, if the system needs to be overhauled, it means it is not
succeeding as is and if success depends on who holds the top positions, the
current leaders need to be replaced as part of the overhaul. He went
on to point out that competent administrators are not just top-notch
educators, but proven managers. Hunkin-Finau has a doctorate in
education from the University of Hawaii while Malae, who has
built a career around specializing in overhauling and successfully turning around government entities, has a master's in
public administration as well as an engineering master's degree—hence
his particular interest in management as well as math and science.
The
twice-married Hunkin-Finau ran for governor in 2012 but even though
she was on a ticket that included her brother Eni Faleomavaega, she
finished poorly while he sailed home to a 13th term in
Congress despite rumors about his health late in the campaign. Hunkin-Finau
previously was fired from her position as president of the community
college.
Malae
may well have had in mind the departure of an alarming number of
teachers dissatisfied with Hunkin-Finau's leadership when he said the
“next step would be to improve the lot of the teaching profession —
better compensation; empower them to make decisions; administration
is to support them not to rule them.” [emphasis added] When he said the revamp also
would “need excellent financial and other support staff who take
care of the nuts and bolts — so that teachers can do their work
well,” he likely did not mean cleaning toilets as part of the “nuts
and bolts,” however. DOE office staff reportedly are unhappy with
a recent memo from the director reminding them that their duties
included cleaning the department bathrooms on a rotating basis.
Although
there has been no coverage in the local media, it has been widely
rumored that the local Democratic Party already has voted for
Hunkin-Finau to be its nominee for congress this year to avenge the
defeat of her brother Faleomavaega, who lost a bid for a 14th
term in the 2014 election when rumors about his health proved true. Although after his defeat
Faleomavaega vowed to continue to be involved in Samoan politics, he never built his own home in the
territory and does not live here. He
lives on the Mainland now and other than a brief trip home for Flag
Day this year, has not been head from locally. It is not known if
he discussed his sister's attempt to return the seat to the family's
control while he was on island it would come as no surprise if he
encouraged her to do it since his health continues to be poor and there is no chance he could be elected if he even ran again.
Perhaps
Hunkin-Finau has made no public announcement of her intentions because local
law would require her to take leave from her government job while she
is a candidate. Since she is widely known, there is no rush and the
filing period does not open until July in any event. It is not clear if news of the party endorsement has been suppressed by Samoa News at the request of one of the paper's editors, Teri Hunkin, who is Hunkin Finau's sister-in-law and also is the territory's Democratic National Committeewoman.
Meanwhile,
the power agency director taking the unusual step of criticizing the
performance of another government agency surely can be seen as obliquely taking a shot
across the bow of Hunkin-Finau's looming candidacy for Congress when
seen in the context of Malae's other position: chairman of the
Republican Party of American Samoa. Samoa News makes no mention of
Malae's political position nor Hunkin-Finau's political aspirations
but because of the story's prominent placement in the paper, the implications are clear on an island well tuned in to
politics. Election year has just begun. Stay tuned.
