Embrace each day with a thankful and determined heart; for as sure as the sun will rise, so will opportunities for new beginnings.
TALOFA TUTUILA & MANU’A!
To my family, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens of American Samoa, it is with deep humility and respect that I wish to address you, for your faith and trust in moving me forward in this election. It is an understatement when I say that I am deeply touched and greatly humbled by your encouragement and confidence. I feel truly blessed to have been entrusted your faith to ensure that your future and those of the future generations is fully secured.
I will aggressively implement a firm strategic plan to attain sufficient funds to boost our economy, to strengthen our educational system and a quality health care available to all residents of American Samoa. Without good and efficient transportation between Tutuila, Manu’a, Aunu’u and Swains, our economic developments would be limited. We must re-focus on our Depart of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, whether our veterans are fairly compensated. And, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our brave men and women who currently active and those who have served in the arm forces to protect our rights and freedom. We must re-visit the Treaty signed between Tutuila and United States and also the Deed of Cession between Manu’a and the United States Government, whether the agreements are kept.
These represent just a few issues that I will address in the future. I know that I can propose and implement plans to fulfill our vision, with the help of our current Administration and the Fono. Please vote for MELEAGI SUITONU CHAPMAN for your next DELEGATE TO WASHINTON D.C. to realize our VISION FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW. Thank you very much.
at the end of this page, I have provided helpful links to our local election office in Tafuna, American samoa. These links should should help address any questions you may have with our voting process.
WHO AM I?
I am the legacy of my parents, and the youngest of eighteen children of Reverend Elder Suitonu GALEA’I of Aga’e, Manu’a. and Tinei LEIATAUA ESEESE AVEGALIO of Amanave, Leone and Manono. My father was a Reverend Elder in San Diego, California. He retired from the US Navy as BMGCA and was a Veteran of WWII. My mother was a devoted wife and mother for 46 years. My parents served God and our people, and they taught me to do the same.
Through their example, I learned the principles of leadership and cultivated a heart for service. With this in mind, I pursued a career in law and spent 20 years working with various U.S. Federal agencies, including work with Native American issues followed by another 6 years in the corporate world.
I am truly blessed from my parents hard work and teachings, I learned to persevere in life despite obstacles, to have faith in the Lord and strive to achieve excellence in all I do and to love and serve our people.
In 2001, my husband, James and I happily returned to my fathers’ island roots in the village of Fitiuta, Manu’a and made it our home. Our grown daughter is in the mainland USA to pursue her education and career.
Living in the beautiful surroundings in Manu’a, I began to wonder how, what, when and where I can serve the people of American Samoa to the best of my abilities. I have therefore arrived at a decision; American Samoa, I want to be your next Delegate in the US Congress. As your Delegate, it will be my responsibility to convey to Congress the real needs of the people and to bring additional federal funding into our Territory that will elevate the standard of living for all.
Educational Background: Novus Online Law School Denver University School of Law University Community College of Denver San Diego High School Roosevelt Junior High School-San Diego, CA. Alice Birney Elementary-San Diego, CA
Work Experience: U.S. District Court of Denver, Colorado under Chief Justice Finesilver Davis & Michael Law firm, Denver, CO. Resolution Trust Corp. – Newport, CA. La Mesa Therapeutic Clinic, San Diego, CA. Vulcan Cal-Mat Materials Co. Mission Valley, CA.
I am committed to representing you with the following platform: 1. Economic Development: Obtain funding and attracting businesses to increase job opportunities for our people. 2. Quality Education: Identify funding for quality education and literacy advances for all students and to promote effective education strategies. 3. Quality Healthcare: To upgrade the quality of medical care and seek ways to obtain more funding to assist the insufficient services budget. 4. Transportation Challenges: Economic Development and utilization of resources of Tutuila, Manu’a and Swains Islands depends on reliable and consistent Ocean and Air Service. 5. Veterans Welfare: I will fight to improve benefits for our brave men and women of the armed forces whom have come home from proudly serving our nation. 6. Treaty and Deed of Cession: Relying on the wise counsel of the Fono and Governor of American Samoa, I will fight for Congress to review the treaties with us and address issues of contention.
In addition, I will work to bridge a closer working relationship with our Honorable Governor and esteem members of the Fono so as to speak to Washington, D.C. with one voice. Together WE, will create a NEW VISION FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW. Paramount to working together, is to raise the living conditions of our people out of poverty, protect and preserve our cultural traditions, promote quality education and health care, and protect our natural resources and environment for today and for future generations. I am COURAGEOUS, DECISIVE, DEPENDABLE, ENTHUSIASTIC, TACTFUL, a person of INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGEABLE, RESOURCEFUL, PATIENt, and I am a good listener with a loving heart....i am the delegate you need to fight for you in washington, d.c.
“UA OU ILOA OU MANAOGA TUTUILA MA MANU’A, MA UA MAUTU LO’U LOTO E SAILI MO LOU MANUIA A TAEAO"
Le ‘au uso e, ia i ai i o outou agaga le alofa tunoa o lo tatou Ali’i o Iesu Keriso. Amene. Kalatia 6:18
E ao lava ina ia muamua sa tatou fa’afetai i lo tatou Atua, aua ana leai lona alofa, semanu po’o le a lava le poto o le tagata, e le taunu’u manuia o tatou fa’amoemoega. Fa’atulou atu i auauna pa’ia a le Atua o lo’o noanoamanu ma fa’atagisia ni fa’amanuiaga mo Amerika Samoa. Tulou.
Ou te fa’atulou atu i ou pa’ia ma mamalu Tutuila ma Manu’a. Tulouna i le Faleagafulu ia Sua ma le Vaifanua, Fofo ma Aitulagi, Ituau ma Alataua, Sa’ole ma le Launiu Saelua. Tulouna le afifio o Ma’opu.Tulouna i le Manu’atele, le La’au na Amotasi, le pa’ia i Afioga i Fa’atui ma le mamalu o To’oto’o o le Fale’ula. Tulou! Ou te fa’atulou atu fo’i i lau Faigamalo Tutuila ma Manu’a i ona tafa-e-tolu. Tulou! Tulou! Tulouna ia.
O SINA ‘OTO’OTOGA I LE FESILI, O AI EA MELEAGI SUITONU-CHAPMAN, AE O LE A SONA AGAVA’A?
O A’U, UA NA O SE TAGATA NOA MA LE FA’ATAUVA’A. AE AISEA UA ‘OU MANATU AI E TAUVA MO LE TOFI FAIPULE MO UOSIGITONE? IOE, LO’U ATUNU’U E, O FA’ANAUNAUGA O LE LOTO MA MO’OMO’OGA O MATUA, IA O E A’O’OGA MA GALULUE, SA’ILI LE ATAMAI, TALIU MAI I LE ATUNU’U MA FA’AAOGA LEA TOMAI MA LE MALOSI, E TAUTUA AIGA, ATUNU’U MA LE MALO. O A’OA’IGA IA A NAI O’U MATUA, A’O GALULUE I LA’UA I LE TOFI FAIFE’AU I SAN DIEGO, KALEFONIA. O O’U MATUA O SUITONU MA TINEI GALEA’I.
O LO’U TAMA: FILIUPU SUITONU GALEA’I, O ONA MATUA O, I’A GALEA’I MATAFALE MA SIAGANU’U TALAILELAGI TUFELE, FITIUTA, MANU’A.
O LO’U TINA: SO’OTULI TINEI AVEGALIO, O ONA MATUA O, ESEESE AVEGALIO O LEONE MA ELISA LEI’ATAUA O MANONO (SAMOA).
O A’U A’OA’OGA: NOVUS ONLINE LAW SCHOOL DENVER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF DENVER SAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOL ROOSEVELT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL-SAN DIEGO, CA. ALICE BIRNEY ELEMENTARY-SAN DIEGO, CA.
O A’U GALUEGA: U.S. DISTRICT COURT OF DENVER, COLORADO UNDER CHIEF JUSTICE FINESILVER DAVIS & MICHAEL LAW FIRM, DENVER, CO. RESOLUTION TRUST CORP. – NEWPORT, CA. LA MESA THERAPEUTIC CLINIC, SAN DIEGO, CA. VULCAN CAL-MAT MATERIALS CO. MISSION VALLEY, CA.
OU TE LAGONA, UA LAVA SE MALAMALAMA IA TE A’U E FA’AFOE AI LE GALUEGA O LE FAIPULE O UOSIGITONE. E MAFAI ONA FINAFINAU I MEA LELEI, AUA LE MANUIA MO AMERIKA SAMOA.
1. TAMAOAIGA: SA’ILI NI ALAGATUPE E FESOASOANI I LE ATINA’E O LE ATUNU’U.
2. A’OA’OGA: SA’ILI NI AUALA E MAUA AI PEA ALAGATUPE MO A’OA’OGA MA NI METOTIA FO’U E FA’AMAUSALI AI LE A’OA’OINA O FANAU I LE FAITAU TUSI MA LE TUSITUSI.
3. SOIFUA MALOLOINA: E OGE PEA LE TUPE FA’ASOASOA MO LE FALEMA’I, MA E MANA’OMIA TELE LE TINO-U O LE FAIPULE I UOSIGITONE E SA’ILI MAI ALAGAMANUIA E LAGOLAGO MA FA’ALOTOTELE I FOMA’I MA TEINE TAUSI MA’I. O NI SA’ILI’ILIGA E LE MAFAI ONA TU’ULAFOA’INA.
4. OFISA O VETERENI: IA ILOGA ONA SILAFIA MA IA AMANAIA LELEI E LE MALO O LE UNAITE SETETE LE TAUTUA PUNOUA’I A NEI VETERENI MO LE FILEMU O LE LALOLAGI.
5. FEMALAGAIGA-VA’ALELE & VA’A LALO: E FA’ALAGOLAGO LE ATINA’E O LE TAMAOAIGA O LE TEROTORI I LE MATU O VA’ALELE MA VA’A LALO MO LE FEMALAGAA’I O TAGATA AE FA’APEA OLOA ESEESE.
6. FEAGAIGA A TUTUILA MA MANU’A MA LE UNAITE SETETE: O LE FA’AMATU’U ATU O TUTUILA MA MANU’A I LALO O LE VA’AVA’AIGA A LE UNAITE SETETE, IA LE NA’O ‘UPU NA TUSIA, A ‘IA O LATOU AMANAIA.
E TELE NISI O TATOU MANA’OGA AMERIKA SAMOA, MA ‘OU TE MATUA TALITONU I LE GALULUE FELAGOLAGOMA’I O LE FAIPULE I UOSIGITONE, LE KOVANA SILI O AMERIKA SAMOA, FA’APEA LE FONO FAITULAFONO I ONA MAOTA E LUA.
AMERIKA SAMOA LE ATUNU’U PELE, UA ‘OU SAUNI E SOSO’O LE FAU MA LE FAU; E SUI TULAGA I SI O’U TUAGANE O FALEOMAVAEGA. ‘OU TE LOTO TELE, ‘OU TE LE ‘ALE’ALE I LOU FINAGALO MA LAU TAPUA’IGA TUTUILA MA MANU’A. ‘OU TE FA’ALAGOLAGO TELE I LAU TOFA MA LE FA’AUTAUTAGA LOLOTO E FAUTUAINA AI LO’U VAIVAI.
O LE UPU A TULELEVALE, AFAI FO’I UA LE SO’O LOU TITI, LE A’U LOU PALE, IA MALU AVE I FALE, ONA UA PAU O SE TAUMAFAIGA VAIVAI A LA OUTOU AUAUNA. E LEAI SE TASI E ATOA, AUA E POTO LE TAUTAI, AE AU LAVA INA PISI LE SAMI. IA TUMAU IA TE OE LOU TOFI SAMOA.
