Admin Services director resigns to chair gubernatorial campaign

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has appointed Afalava Eliki Afalava as acting director of the Department of Administrative Services, after Malaepule Lua Moliga resigned from the post early last week.

Lolo made the appointment in an Apr. 15th memo to cabinet members saying that Afalava’s appointment is effective Apr. 16th “and will terminate at any time at the sole discretion of the governor... without cause.”

The governor said his “acceptance” of Malaepule’s “resignation has created a leadership vacuum” within the department, and therefore he appointed Afalava as “acting director of this agency recognizing his many years of service as deputy director.”

Lolo didn’t elaborate on Malaepule’s resignation, but he asked cabinet members to extend the same courtesies and support to Afalava as he “takes over the leadership reigns of this agency.”

It’s already public knowledge that Malaepule, brother of the governor, is campaign chairman for the gubernatorial team of Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie and Senator Fai’ivae Iuli Godinet in the 2020 general election.

Samoa News reported, through the Lali-Samoan section on Apr. 13th, that Malaepule was resigning that day from his post, and he acknowledged his chairmanship of the Gaoteote and Fa’iivae team, and emphasized that he is not running for any public office.

He says that he doesn’t want the work of the Lolo Administration impacted by his post with the Gaoteote/Fa’iivae team, and he also referred to the respect he has for the other gubernatorial teams in the 2020 race.

He thanked the governor and Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga for their trust in appointing him to the directorship post and he wished his staff the best.

(See Samoa News April 13th Lali section for details.)