Budget Hearings: Lawmakers delve into increases at Gov’s Office

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The spike in the number of contract workers hired by the Governor’s office is being scrutinized by the lawmakers during joint budget hearings this week.

The Governor’s Chief of Staff, Loa Tauapa’u Mulipola appeared before the Senators and Faipule.

Vice Speaker of the House, Fetu Fetui Jr said the Governor’s office is the leading Government office that departments follow for example.

“However looking at the salaries of the Governor’s office, it appears as if they are salaries for professors.”

He then asked whether the government is enforcing Human Resources polices in the hiring of the Governor’s staff.

The Chief of Staff responded that their office is abiding by HR policies, and the increase of staff was a strategic move by the Governor for young people who completed college and returned with a degree, but found no employment opportunities.

Adding that some of them are now advising the Governor on the daily operations of their office.

The Vice Speaker said that as long as they are “being honest” and abiding by HR policies, but noted — “I believe that [there are] other staff of Government with higher degrees working in other departments making a lot less money.

“And if they are being honest in the hiring of these people at the Governor’s office then so be it and also God can see everything.

“My concern is that, this will be the trend that will be followed by upcoming Administrations.

“And if there are people working that should not be there, my advice is remove them immediately,” said the Vice Speaker.

According to Chief of Staff Loa, 80 percent of the staff at the Governor’s office are contract workers and the idea is that at the conclusion of Governor Lemanu’s Administration, they will all leave the office together and the new Administration will bring in their own people.

Loa said the Governor and Lt Governor believe that at the completion of their term when they leave office the same will happen to the “political appointees” and they will not be converted to career service.

Tualauta Rep, Larry Sanitoa questioned the increase in the people working at the Governor’s office in Hawaii.

“Under Togiola’s [T.A. Tulafono] time as Governor there were only five staff,” said Sanitoa.

He then asked why the staff in Hawaii is assisting members of the public with the TALOFAPass, after the Government has invested $7 million into TALOFAPass?

“This company received $7 million, but then why is the Governor’s staff in Hawaii offering this assistance, when they are being paid by the Government?” Sanitoa asked.

(Samoa News points out that while Sanitoa did not say it directly, it seems he is suggesting that the company should be assisting members of the public with the TALOFAPass as part of the $7Mil investment by the government.)

Loa explained there are two people that are offering assistance to the American Samoa people coming through Hawaii not only at the office but also at the Airport.

Faipule Andra Samoa questioned the number of “political advisors and advisors” at the Governor’s office with salaries ranging from $40,000 to $65,000 per annum.

“I want to understand what are the differences in these advisor positions and whether they are important positions. Also there’s $400,000 allocated for the road marshal division and only nine staff. Also on the road maintenance division there are seven staff members.”

Samoa said there are too many contract workers and asked whether these positions are needed. Loa explained the advisors at their office are necessary to the Governor to assist with his decision-making.

GOV’S BUDGET

The Governor’s office proposed budget for financial year 2023 under appropriated fund accounts amounts to $7.48 million an increase from $4.8 million from the previous financial year.

This is confirmed in the proposed budget document for the new financial year ending 30 September, 2022.

The budget for Governor’s office also outlines an increase in staff for the Governor’s office.

In 2021 the more than 80 staff members, increased in 2022 to 105 and the proposed financial year increases staffing to more than 140 people.

According to the proposed budget a total of $3.27 million will go to salaries.

The salary for Governor is $120,000; Lt Governor $100,000; Chief of Staff $85,000; Special Assistant to Governor $83,000; Legal Counsel to Governor $80,000; Deputy Chief of Staff $78,000; three Assistance Legal Counsels, one is getting $72,000 the other two receive $70,000 per annum.

The Governors office Chaplain’s salary is $65,000, which is the same as the Executive Assistant, Protocol Office, Public Policy Adviser, Executive Assistant to Lt Governor, Financial Manager, Plans and Operations Lead and Special Assistant to the Executive Assistant and two Managers cited in the report.