Transcript
FILI SAGAPOLUTELE: Based on information coming out of court on cases that have been prosecuted in court, there is that sense of the drug use that it has continued to increase and government officials have made it clear that they have noticed it as well. So the Governor of American Samoa moved earlier this year to establish a domestic security committee, but especially trying to address this issue of illegal drugs in the territory.
SARA VUI-TALITU: So what exactly is this committee doing to combat illegal drugs? What is their strategy?
FS: They're working with the community and they've started to conduct outreach working with government officials and village leaders, just in the hope to get this drug problem down. What this committee is also trying to do is to establish where this network is coming from, who is behind this and bringing it in. And the leaders group have been saying now that something needs to be done. One of the other issues that has come up recently is where are the latest statistics on the drug use, and that is one issue too that I think the committee is also trying to address to come up with statistics.
SV: How recent is the latest statistics?
FS:So that is the latest, like several years ago, but those were filed through the US Department of Justice but any latest stats is something we don't see come through but as news reporters, we have noticed increases of drugs being caught. So these are the ones who were caught, but how about the ones not caught.
SV: Any idea of the age groups and is it still this big problem in schools?
FS: There was this case of five juveniles at high school who were taken into custody after being caught smoking marijuana on school campus. But the way they are handling the case is that because they are juveniles none of the case info is public but they are trying to get to the source and find out who is bringing in the drugs to the school. Is it a student or someone selling it on the side of the school. At the same time that is what this committee is also trying to do and establish where this network is and who is bringing it in.
SV: Would you say that authorities are really taking this issue seriously with this committee?
FS: Well this committee is very concerned and want to address this issue as early as possible. The secretary of Samoan Affairs who overseas the local government within traditional leaders is very firm on this issue and he does keeping calling on cabinet and directors to try to work within their communities to try to resolve this issue of drug use, and spread of drugs within the community.
