TBAS Board of Directors gets one new member, DBAS nominee rejected

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Only one of the governor’s nominations for members of the Territorial Bank of American Samoa (TBAS) Board of Directors was approved by the Senate before the Fono’s long recess, which starts this week.

In a letter to Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean, dated September 27, 2023, Acting Governor Talauega E. V. Ale submitted the names of three nominees — Mr. Maae Tuiasosopo, Ms. Leilua Stevenson and Ms. Ruth Matagi, to fill three terms, which expired on February 14, 2023.

The term of their appointment is four years and expires on February 14, 2027.

Tuiasosopo will replace Mr. Manu’a Chen whose term expired on February 14, 2023, while Stevenson and Matagi currently serve on the board and are being reappointed as their terms also expired on February 14, 2023.

“All these individuals have extensive experience in the business, finance, or banking field,”’ said Acting Governor Talauega. “Their combined expertise will help guide TBAS.”

However, only Maae turned up for the brief confirmation hearing at the Senate.

Senate President Tuaolo, who chairs the American Samoa Government Employees Retirement Fund Board, stated that Maae had been a member of that board and he had found him to be a very knowledgeable and reliable member who contributed a lot in deliberations, with an affable and cordial personality. He then moved that the witness be excused while the chamber voted on his nomination.

During the regular session that followed, senators unanimously approved his appointment in a 14- 0 vote.

Not all of the governor’s nominations however have enjoyed easy sailing through their confirmation in the Fono.

DBAS NOMINATION

It was during the last week of Fono’s session that Eseneiaso Liu, the governor’s nomination for membership on the Board of Directors of the Development Bank of American Samoa (DBAS), was rejected by the Senate.

Her confirmation hearing was also very brief with senators acknowledging her many years of service to the people and government of American Samoa.

However, she did not garner enough votes to be confirmed. As it turned out, seven senators voted yes, while three voted no. Ten votes were needed to confirm her.

This prompted Senator Malaepule Saite Moliga who chairs the Senate Rules Committee and also the Board of Directors for DBAS, to request that the confirmation hearings for the rest of the governor’s appointees be postponed until next year when all the legislators were present.

However, President Tuaolo argued that government operations need to continue therefore, the confirmation hearings should continue.

Only the Senate votes on the confirmation of members for the TBAS and DBAS boards.