Pay hikes for the powerful raise public disgust over govt spending

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “Government leaders are not making any effort to help low income families to survive the next day. All they’re doing is to do everything in their power to benefit them and their family.”

“I voted them in office to lead this country with love and respect but all I’m hearing from the media is not only they break the laws but they also neglect the crying by the poor. They’re evil and selfish.”

These were the comments from some members of the public who spoke to Samoa News last week regarding what is currently going on with the government.

People were very disappointed and frustrated when they heard about salary hikes in the government, while the LBJ Medical Hospital is still facing the problem of a shortage in nursing.

Some were confused on the issue of directors and deputy directors who are already being paid substantial pay increases, which were not included in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget that the Fono approved.

According to some government employees, giving out unbudgeted salary hikes to directors and deputy directors is not a new move — it’s an ongoing practice from previous administrations which is passed down to the current administration — and could be continued by any future administration.

“Why not raise the salary of those workers who do all the hard work for these directors? They deserve a pay raise to support their family and survive in life,” said a senior government employee who has worked for ASG for over 20 years.

According to this government employee, there are other government employees like her who were trying to get their pay adjusted and yet they are being given the run around by their directors.

According to her, “this is a slap in the face” to her and many other employees who work honestly and diligently for the betterment of this government.

A school teacher for over 20 years said she’s very disappointed with the Administration and how they run the operation and use taxpayers’ money.

“Look at their salary hikes, they were not in the budget but it was authorized by the governor who promised to the people that he will lead this country with love,” said the school teacher.

She said when it comes to financial assistance from the federal government for taxpayers, the government will not only delay the distribution of financial benefits, but looks for ways to minimize financial assistance getting out to the people.

However, when it comes to a decision that benefits them, their close friends and families, not only do they use their authority and power to get it done right away, but also try to do it in a way no one will hear about it.

Aleki Seumanu, 66, a retired teacher said he was very sad and shocked when he heard the new about directors and deputy directors are already being paid substantial pay increases, which were not included in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget that the Fono approved.

Seumanutafa said a lot of government employees who deserve pay raises don’t get them.

He said leaders must set a good example on how to follow the law so that younger generations will repeat the same.

“If our leaders today break the law and abuse funding from taxpayers, our leaders for tomorrow will follow the same footsteps and this is sad to me because our nation is not heading in a good direction in terms of setting good examples for our young generation,” Seumanutafa said.

He explained the problem starts from Fono leaders and goes up to the Administration.

“The rule of money is very clear. If you work 8 hours — you earn a pay check. If you visit the Fono, that is not the case. A majority of the Fono employees only work for 4-5 hours a day depending on how long Senators and Representatives conduct their hearings and sessions.

“The sad part is, all of the employees who receive a full pay check of 80-hours every two weeks and they take this check home to feed their families and children knowing that they don’t deserve to receive the full pay check amount.”

Seumanutafa said he’s familiar with the process because he worked for the government for over 40 years.

He said the reason why government and Fono leaders continue to abuse local funds is because they know they can get away from it.

“What is the use of passing a law and the next morning, you ignore it and do whatever you want to do. This is bad leadership and our government deserves good leaders for the Administration and the Fono,” Seumanutafa said, adding that, “Let us vote for change.”

A retired nurse shared her opinion on the problem of abuse of funds by the Administration and the Fono.

Serving at the LBJ Medical Center for 39 years, the retired nurse said the problem of shortage of nursing at the LBJ is a long lasting problem — nothing was done by previous and the current administrations to solve the problem.

“Based on reports published and announced by our local media, I believe that our leaders are misusing millions and millions of taxpayers’ money and using it to built un-necessary projects or to raise salaries for top government officials — but our only hospital is still facing the problem of shortage of nursing and not enough doctors to provide health care for our people.”

“If a director, a senator, a faipule, or even a top government official is sick, that person can easily pay for his/her airfare and travel to Hawaii for a medical check up because they got good salaries to do whatever they want. I believe that is the main reason why they don’t care about the shortage of nursing and doctors at the LBJ.”

The only answer to the problem of not enough nurses and doctors at the LBJ is for the government to invest more money to educate our sons and daughters in this field, instead of investing more local revenue into their own pocket, their businesses and their families.

BACKGROUND

During review of the Department of Human Resources’ budget for FY 2023 two weeks ago, Senator Magalei Logovii asked Lynn Pulou-Alaimalo about directors’ salaries, at the start of DHR’s budget hearing. Magalei said, he noticed in the proposed FY2023 budget that the salaries of directors were $80,000 to $82,000 and wanted to know if these were their salaries for the new fiscal year, or what they are paid now.

Pulou Alaimalo revealed that directors are being paid these salaries now.

Magalei told her, the Fono had not approved these increases, therefore, they are illegal. “Under the budget law, only what is approved by the Fono can be paid. Not anything else,” Magalei explained.

When he asked if it was the governor who authorized the salary increases, Pulou Alaimalo said that it was.

Upon further questioning by Sen. Magalei, the DHR Director said that the salary increases were retroactive to January 2022.

She also said that deputy directors also received pay raises; now earning $70,000 to $75,000.

Samoa News also points out that the salary of the CEO of the hospital is currently just below $120,000 — $5 shy of the Lt. Governor’s current salary.