21 May 2012

Village councils have role in curbing American Samoa underage drinking

2:27 pm on 21 May 2012

American Samoa's Commissioner of Public Safety Tuaolo Fruean says he believes village councils should help enforce underage drinking laws.

He says village councils can effectively monitor shops in their villages to ensure they don't sell alcohol to minors.

Tuaolo, who is a chief of Pago Pago, says he brought the matter up at a meeting of the Pago Pago village council.

Tuaolo was speaking at a ceremony marking the end of training for 63 liquor business owners and their staff in a course called Responsible Beverage Service Training.

Commissioner Tuaolo echoed remarks by the First Lady Maryanne Tulafono, who initiated the programme, that business owners have an important role to play in safeguarding youth from the ill effects of alcohol.

"Time of curfew look at stores. Look at the kids [who have gone inside] to try to buy alcohol. Ask for the age. This is a partnership not only for the business sector and the police department but also the village councils , because if we don't do that it won't work."