American Samoa: A Descriptive and Historical Profile Page: 75
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V. Some recent developments
in ;arch 1970 several laws were enacted in Samoa expanding the
judiciry. A traffic court, a small claims court, and a matai title
cour: .ere create. And village magistrates were to be named in every
vilPi e to handle minor infractions of the law. Two months later the
High Court itself established a legal aid and lawyer referral system.
(For the current composition and operation of the judiciary, see supra,p.24)
In November 1970 High Chief Asuemu Ulufale Fuimaono, Director of
Agriculture in American Samoa, was elected in the islands' first terri-
tory-wide election as American Samoa's first official representative in
Washington. He was entrusted with representing "'the view of the Samoan
people before all branches and agencies of the Federal Government includ-
ing the Interior Department and Congress.'" Known officially as
American Samoa Delegate-at-Large, his office is at 425 13th Street, Is. W.,
Washington, D. C. His term is for four years.
In 1969 a Political Status Commission, consisting of legislators
and "concerned citizens," was created by the Legislature. A year later
it recommended in its report that American Samoa .remain an unincorpora-
ted and unorganized territory for the present, but it also called for
popular election of the Governor by 1976.149
Since 1972 the Samoan people on three different occasions have
rejec toli, in referenda, proposals that they be allowed to elect their
own Covernor and Lieutenant Governor. Fearful that such a "progressive"
14gUnited Nations. General Assembly. Special Committee on the
Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declara-
tion on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries
and Peoples. American Samoa and Guam: Working Paper
Prepared by the Secretariat, 1 July 1971. ew Yorg
1971. (United nations. ocumen/ A/AC. 109L. 717) p. 5.
..ashington Post, 1ov. 16, 1970: A 9 and July 4, 1971: C 1-2.
114)/U. S. Congress. Senate. Subcommittee on Appropriations. :De-
partment of the Interior and elated Agencies Appropriations
" for F iscal Year 1971. Hearings, 91st Congress, 2d session
on H. R. 17619, pt. 1. ashington, U. S. Govt. Print. Off.,
1970. p. 440; 1ashington Post, July 4, 1971: C 1-2.:. ' . 77777 my -,1777-7
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Tansill, William R. American Samoa: A Descriptive and Historical Profile, report, October 8, 1974; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc992508/m1/77/: accessed May 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.