Paramount helps with road stop-gap measures while ASG waits for funding

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Last week, Rep. Larry S. Sanitoa wrote to Paramount Builders’ CEO, Papali’i Lauli’i Alofa, expressing appreciation for the company’s help by repaving a section of Fagaima road in front of the Georgina Building.

(Samoa News understands the “Georgina” is owned by Papali’i.)

“On behalf of residents and motorists, I thank you for the repaving work on a section of the Fagaima road next to the Georgina building as a community service project,” Sanitoa wrote. “I remain hopeful with the new improvements, we will be able to address the drainage problem within this area.

“I also remain confident that the government will finally begin work on the long awaited drainage and road improvement project for the Fagaima road sometime soon,” he added.

Last year, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency announced $3.1 million in federal funding for the Fagaima Flood Mitigation project, however, this is well below the total estimated cost of $8.53+ million for the project. FEMA noted in its award letter to the government that the $3.1 million is the maximum allowed under federal funding rules for such projects. It sees the balance as being paid out through “in-kind” services and ‘shared’ funding.

In addition, the project also has ‘time limit’ built into it — where it must be completed prior or on a specific date, or all work done after that date will not be eligible to be paid with the federal funds allocated to this project.