Director of the Office of Public Information/KVZK- TV, Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola is now working out of the Governor’s Office effective this past Monday.
The Governor’s Executive Assistant Iulogologo Joseph Pereira said for the interim Tuimavave will continue to oversee the Office of Public Information’s activities until a decision is made “on the option of expediting the moving of KVZK under the administrative purview of the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority.”
In August of last year, we reported that the Lolo Lemanu Administration is pursuing plans to merge the government owned television station with ASTCA.
We quoted Iulogologo the Chairman of the ASTCA Board of Directors saying “that in the interest of improving services to the community and to find ways of saving costs, the decision has been made to merge KVZK under the administrative umbrella of ASTCA, as the latter will be providing cable TV services in the near future.”
Asked at that time about when the merger would likely take place, the board chairman said no decision has been made on the transition timeline.
Regarding the cabinet member’s move from his director office at the television studio to the Governor’s Office. Iulogologo said Tuimavave “will add needed experience and expertise in the Governor’s Office to deal with the current emergency along with completing on-going projects.”
He said it wasn’t necessary to appoint an acting director for the television station at this time.
