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American Samoa Government - PR001-04292026
Posted: April 29, 2026
American Samoa Government Welcomes AP Telecom and SubCom Delegation with Ava Ceremony
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AOLOAU, American Samoa - The American Samoa Government formally welcomed a distinguished delegation from AP Telecom and SubCom through a traditional ava ceremony held yesterday at the Maota o Siliaga in the village of Aoloau marking a historic occasion for the territory.
The ceremony honored key partners collaborating with the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority on the Google Le Vasa Cable Project, a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening connectivity across the Pacific region.
In a significant cultural gathering, the event was attended by Governor Pulaali'i Nikolao Pula, Lt. Governor Pulumataala Ae Ae Jr., Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean, Speaker of the House Savali Talavou Ale, ASTCA Board Members, Cabinet Members, ASTCA management and staff, and the proud community of Aoloau.
The visiting delegation included Major General Joaquin Malavet, Senior Advisor and Liaison to INDOPACOM for AP Telecom; Walter Panzirer of the Leona and Harry Helmsley Charitable Trust; and representatives from SubCom.
In her remarks, ASTCA CEO Folasaitu Sorepa Thomas expressed deep appreciation for the occasion, acknowledging the valued partnerships that support American Samoa’s voice and presence within the Pentagon and across the Pacific region. She also confirmed that work has officially commenced on the Google Le Vasa Cable Project, with survey teams actively assessing the safest and most suitable landing points within the territory. This milestone marks a significant advancement in the project’s development.
Major General Malavet, speaking prior to taking his ‘ava cup, conveyed his gratitude on behalf of AP Telecom, SubCom, INDOPACOM, and the Department of War. “Thank you for the most powerful and gracious welcoming. I honor your blessings and extend the blessings of my tribe, the Marine Corps, to you all. I also offer greater blessings and victory to American Samoa.”
He concluded, “Together, we are building more than just a cable system, we are forging new connections, real connections. We are creating new bloodlines of power and grace, with courage and conviction, with freedom and liberty. Thank you, and God bless American Samoa.”
In his remarks, Governor Pulaali’i acknowledged the significance of the moment, describing it as a historic milestone for the territory. “We felt in our hearts the sincerity and power with which Major General Malavet spoke,” the Governor said.
Governor Pulaali’i also requested that the delegation extend American Samoa’s love to Admiral Paparo of INDOPACOM and the Department of War, while emphasizing the evolving role of the territory in the Pacific. “These are new times and new relationships. The United States should look at our territory, not just as a territory but as a place that proudly flies the flag of the United States of America within the Pacific region,” Governor added. Governor Pulaali’i further shared that during his meeting with Admiral Paparo, he was pleased to learn that the Google cable project is being supported under the Department of War. He expressed gratitude for this renewed perspective on the role and responsibility of the military within the Pacific Islands, recognizing its importance in strengthening regional connectivity and security.
The Governor further acknowledged the support of the Leona and Harry Helmsley Charitable Trust for its contributions toward healthcare development at the LBJ Tropical Medical Center and the Department of Public Health.
The ava ceremony served as a powerful cultural expression of welcome and respect, symbolizing the strengthening partnership between the American Samoa Government, ASTCA, and its international collaborators on the Le Vasa Project.
In the coming days, representatives from the Governor’s Office, ASTCA, and the visiting delegation will travel to Samoa to continue discussions on regional connectivity, including the Hawaiki Cable.
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Fa’afeiloa’i e le Mālō o Amerika Samoa le aumalaga a le AP Telecom ma le Subcom e ala i le Ali’itaeao
AOLOAU, Amerika Samoa - Na fa’afeiloa’i aloa’ia e Amerika Samoa le aumalaga mamalu mai le AP Telecom ma le Subcom e ala i se usu fa’aaloalo, na fa’ataunu’uina lea i le maota i Sili’aga i le nu’u o Aoloau i le aso ananafi, ua fa’ailogaina ai se talafa’asolopito o lenei fa’amoemoe mo le Teritori.
O lea fa’amoemoe sa fa’amamaluina ai pā’aga autū o lo’o so’oso’otau’au ma le Matāgaluega o Feso’ota’iga a Amerika Samoa, e ala i le porōketi o le Google Le Vasa Cable, o se suiga fou e taula’i i le fa’amalosia o feso’ota’iga o le itulagi atoa o le atupasefika.
I se fa’atasiga tāua fa’aleaganu’u, na auai le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula i le fa’amoemoe, Kovana Lutena, le Matua ia Pulumataala Ae Ae Jr., Peresetene o le Senate Tuā’olo Manaia Fruean, Fofoga Fetalai o le Maota o Sui Savali Talavou Ale, komiti fa’afoe o le ASTCA, pūlega ma le aufaigaluega, sui o le Kapeneta, aemaise le mamalu o le afio’aga o Aoloau.
O le aumalaga e aofia ai le ta’ita’i’au o Joaquin Malavet, Faufautua sīnia ma le so’oupu i le INDOPACOM mo le AP Telecom; Walter Panzirer o le maliliega tau tupe fa’atuatuaina (charitable trust) a Leona ma Harry Helmsley; ma sui mai le Subcom.
I le saunoaga a le Fa’atonu o le ASTCA ia Folasaitu Sorepa Thomas, sa fa’aleo le agaga fa’afetai auā le fa’amoemoe, ma na ia aloa’ia pā’aga tāua o lo’o lagolagoina le leo o Amerika Samoa ma le itulagi o le Pasefika. Sa ia ta’utino mai fo’i ua amatalia le porōketi o le Google Le Vasa cable, o lo’o galulue le vaega su’esu’e e sa’ili itū saogalemu ma le onomea auā le galuega i totonu o le Teritori. O lenei la’asaga e fa’ailogaina ai le tāua o le alualu i luma o le ati’ina a’e o le porōketi.
Na saunoa le ta’ita’i’au ia Malavet i le ‘ava o le feiloa’iga, ma fa’aleo lona agaga fa’afetai e fai ai ma sui o le AP Telecom, Subcom, INDOPACOM, ma le Matāgaluega o Taua. “Fa’afetai mo lenei feiloa’iga mamalu ma le agalelei tele. Matou te taliaina la outou fa’amanuiaga ma ofoalofa atu fo’i fa’amanuiaga a le matou aumalaga, le vāega’au a le Maligi, ia te outou uma. Matou te ofoalofa atu fo’i fa’amanuiaga ma le manumalo mo Amerika Samoa.” O ona toe upu, “I lo tatou galulue fa’atasi, tatou te lē fausia na’o ni uaea o feso’ota’iga (cable), ae o lo’o tatou faia ni feso’ota’iga fou, feso’ota’iga moni. Tatou te faia gafa fou o le malosi ma le alofa tunoa, fa’atasi ma le loto toa ma le talitonuga maua’a, ae fa’apea le sa’olotoga. Fa’afetai lava, ma ia fa’amanuia le Atua ia Amerika Samoa.”
I le saunoga a le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i na ia aloa’ia ai le tāua o le aso, na ia fa’atusaina o se la’asaga faasolopito mo le Teritori. “Matou te lagonaina i o matou loto le fa’amaoni ma malosi o upu na saunoa ai le ta’ita’i’au ia Malavet.
Sa talosaga fo’i le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i i le aumalaga, e fa’ao’o atu alofa’aga a Amerika Samoa i le ta’ita’i ia Paparo o le INDOPACOM ma le Matāgaluega o Taua, ‘a ‘o fa’atauaina le tuputupua’e o matāfaioi a le Teritori i le Pasefika. “O taimi moni nei ma mafutaga fou. E tatau ona silasila mai le Unaite Setete i le tatou Teritori, e lē na’o se Teritori, ‘a ‘o le atunu’u o lo’o āgiagia ai le tagāvai o le Unaite Setete o Amerika i totonu o le atupasefika.”
Sa fa’asoa le ali’i Kovana ia Pulaali’i e tusa ai ma lona fono ma le ta’ita’i ia Paparo, sa ia maua ai se malamalama e uiga i le porōketi o le Google cable o lo’o lagolagoina ma va’aia e le Matāgaluega o Taua. Sa ia fa’afetai tele mo nei manatu fou, auā tiute ma matāfaioi o le Militeri i totonu o motu o le Pasefika, e aloa’ia ai le tāua o le fa’amalosia o feso’ota’iga fa’aitulagi ma le saogalemu.
Na aloa’ia e le ali’i Kovana le lagolago a le maliliega tau tupe fa’atuatuaina (charitable trust) a Leona ma Harry Helmsley mo latou sao aga’i i le ati’ina a’e o le soifua maloloina i le maota gasegase i LBJ ma le Matāgaluega o le Soifua Maloloina. O le usuālele ‘a ‘o se usu fa’aaloalo na fa’aalia ai le mana fa’aleaganu’u, ma le fa’aalia o le tali mālō ma le fa’aaloalo, fa’ailogaina ai le malosi o so’otaga o pā’aga i le vā o le Mālō o Amerika Samoa, ASTCA, ma ē galulue fa’atasi fa’avāomālō auā le porōketi o le Le Vasa.
I aso a sau, o sui mai le ofisa a le Kovana, ASTCA, ma le aumalaga na asiasi mai, o le a malaga i Samoa Tuto’atasi e fa’aauau ai talanoaga e uiga i le feso’ota’iga ma fa’aitūlagi, e aofia ai le Hawaiki cable.
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