Driver of ASG vehicle photographed in handicapped parking explains

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The driver of the Government vehicle seen parked at the disabled spot at the Lumana’i building last week has defended why the car was there in the first place.  

This follows a front page photo on Samoa’s News edition May 25, 2022 taken by a member of the community where an American Samoa Government vehicle with no Disabled Parking Permit was parked in a Disabled Parking space at the Lumana’i Building.

KVZK News Director, Tosimaea Tupua explained that upon arriving in town on the day in question, there was a van reversing out, and the car park was full. 

“And the only space free for me to go into instead of reversing all the way out was the disabled parking.  

“As I was waiting for the van to reverse [the person that] works for Department of Education, across the hall from our office, took the photo and sent it to Samoa News,” said Tupua.  

Adding that he was in the car ready to reverse into a public parking space when the photo was taken.  

Last week, Governor’s Chief Legal Counsel and acting chief of staff Jason Mitchell issued a memorandum to directors, reminding them of their duty to public accountability. 

The memo followed the above mentioned edition of Samoa News with the photo showing the TV-15 vehicle assigned to Mr. Tupua.  

The memo says that in recent months, they have seen pictures in the media of government vehicles in handicapped parking spots without having handicapped tags hanging from their mirrors.  

“We need to be better than that. We must comply with the letter and the spirit of the law as we conduct our business,” he said and noted that he expects directors to handle these matters administratively.  

“Additionally, I have encouraged the Office of Protection and Advocacy for the Disabled to enforce the handicapped parking law without regard to government vehicles.” 

Mitchell noted that many ASG employees operate government-owned or leased vehicles to do their jobs. And those vehicles are marked with government license plates to make it clear who is in those vehicles.  

“Those tags are placed on vehicles to keep us accountable.” He also acknowledged the thousands of employees who drive government vehicles in a lawful manner and thanked them.  

As ASG employees, “we must recognize that we are here to serve the people of American Samoa. Part of that service includes complying with the laws of American Samoa,” said Mitchel.

Under Code Annotated 22.0321 section b states that “no person may park a vehicle in a space designated for vehicles of disabled persons unless the vehicle so parked exhibits on the said vehicle a disabled person’s sticker properly issued by the Office of Protection and Advocacy, and at the time it is so parked was driven by or transporting such disabled person.  

“A person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and shall be punished accordingly.”