Fono goes into four-week mid-session recess — members will attend Retirement Fund meeting in Honolulu

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Fono goes into a four-week mid-session recess at the close of business today and reconvenes Mar. 11th.

During the recess, lawmakers who are members of both the Senate and House Retirement Committees will be attending the ASG Employees' Retirement Fund meeting in Honolulu. The meeting is held every two years.

The usual practice over the years, is that the Retirement Office invites and pays expenses for lawmakers in the retirement committees of both houses, as well as the Fono leaders to attend the meeting, where financial managers and others present the status of the Retirement Fund.

Some lawmakers told Samoa News yesterday that they have not yet received the detailed agenda of the Feb. 18 meeting but it's expected that it could be out next week.

Meanwhile, there are two main issues that some senators want to address when the Fono returns next month: One is for ASG officials to explain how the government was in a positive position of $3.9 million at the close of fiscal year 2018, as declared by the governor last month; the other is a full explanation from the American Samoa Economic Development Authority (ASEDA) regarding the $50.32 million 2018 bond series and the source of revenues for repayments.

Lawmakers in both the Senate and House are also interested in getting details from the American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority (ASTCA), on its financial status, and status of payments to Hawaiki cable. Of the total proceeds received from the 2018 bond series, just over $28.33 million goes to ASTCA for Hawaiki cable.

Some lawmakers told Samoa News on Monday this week, that it’s important to hear from ASEDA and the Lolo Administration on these pressing issues, including the 2018 bonds, which has been the subject of Samoa News stories since last November.

“If the newspaper can get all these documents for it’s reporting, the Fono should get them as well, along with a thorough explanation from the Administration,” said two lawmakers in a separate interview.

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee had set a hearing last month on the ASEDA bonds and the ASG financial status, but Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga informed Fono leaders that the ASG witnesses — Treasurer Uelinitone Tonumaipe’a, who is also the ASEDA board chairman, and Budget Office director, Catherine Saelua — are pre-occupied with off island auditors until later this month.

TWO ADMINISTRATION BILLS GET FONO APPROVAL

The Fono has given final approval to two Administration bills, which amend current laws.

The first bill proposed amendments to the local law dealing with the composition, qualifications, and number of members of the American Samoa Visitors Bureau (ASVB) board. The bill aims to streamline board selection and action, which will allow vital decisions affecting the tourism industry to be made more efficiently.

Among the amendments, is that the number of board members, which are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Fono, is reduced from 7 to 5.

The second Administration bill seeks to clarify the definition of a commercial vehicle in local statute to satisfy federal requirements for grant funding. According to the bill’s preamble, regulations based on these definitions “can now be instituted to help keep our highways safer.”