AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): Moefa’auo M. L. William ‘Bill’ Emmsley Jr. has been named the new chief executive director of American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority (ASTCA).
Moefa’auo will follow long time CEO Aleki Sene, who has been with ASTCA for 42 years, and was appointed Director of Communications in 1972, being the longest serving director in the American Samoa Government.
At the contract signing event Monday, Moefa’auo praised his predecessor acknowledging his work over four decades:
“His service to ASTCA, prior to that the Office of Communications, has brought American Samoa in the world of telecommunications levels we could not have imagined. His impeccable service will certainly be hard to follow, and shoes big enough that I can’t even fit in it. But I can rest assured, that I will do my best, with all God’s given ability, to try to make this organisation as profitable, as competitive as we possibly can. To ensure that the services we do extend to our community will likewise be done in the most efficient and effective way.”
The new telecommunications director was one of six applicants to apply for the position, and one of four to be interviewed.
High expectations
The chairman of American Samoa TeleCommunications board, Roy J. D. Hall Jr., also underlined the legacy of Aleki Sene.
“We look forward to great things from you Bill, and don’t forget you have a legacy to follow. And so you will be judged on that standard, so congratulations and welcome aboard”, said Hall Jr.
The board chairman stated to local media Talanei.com and Samoanews.com that Moefa’auo’s salary was “fair and reasonable” and that the board had not yet established his mandates, but would do so after seeing his priorities.
Moefa’auo was previously the Dean of the Institute of Trades and Technology at the American Samoa Community College. He has also been CEO at the Honolulu-based non-profit corporation Samoan Service Providers Association.
Online criticism
Several anonymous online comments have been negative over Moefa’auo’s appointment, alleging it is a “political scam” and that the board in reality had decided to appoint Moefa’auo before the application process begun.
Reportedly the board’s review came down to Moefa’auo and one other applicant whom the board has refused to name.
Other comments express sadness that the old director, Aleki Sene, is leaving and doubts that Moefa’auo will be able to improve an already well-functioning government agency.
Some comments were also sceptical to Moefa’auo’s abilities to develop the communications infrastructure in American Samoa.
An earlier statement by the ASTCA, promised an improvement in Internet and mobile phone services in the country, as well as lower prices for these services.
There are three internet providers and just over 3000 internet users in American Samoa, according to recent statistics from Internet World Stats.
The country, which has a population of 55,000, has only 2250 mobile phone subscribers, but more than 10,000 telephone main lines.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Daniel Drageset
