Admin submits bill to create a director position at TAO

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — An Administration bill creating a director’s position for the Territorial Audit Office (TAO) was submitted to the Fono this week.

In his Feb. 7, 2022 letter to Fono leaders, Gov. Lemanu Peteli Mauga stated that this bill does not affect the required qualifications for the Territorial Auditor (TA) outlined in A.S.C.A 4.0403.

“It simply creates the position of Director who shall handle day to day [operations in the] absence of the TA and if passed, the bill would allow American Samoa to meet the conditions imposed by federal and other financial grantors,” Lemanu said.

According to the preamble of the bill, the TAO needs to separate the administrative duties of daily operation from the duties of accounting and auditing and the American Samoa Government (ASG) is being audited for its use of federal COVID funds by the Department of Interior Office of the Inspector General.

The TAO plays an important role in helping the ASG comply with federal and territorial law and American Samoa is in an ongoing state of emergency resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This act will assist ASG in responding to the emergency.

The amendment reads; “The head of that office is a director appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature.”

Moreover, “The director shall be an individual qualified [with] knowledge, skill and ability to administer and direct the provisions of this law. In the absence of the TA, the director shall perform the duties and have the authority of the TA.”