Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Secretary of the Department of Local Government (Samoan Affairs), Paramount Chief Mauga Tasi Asuega raised some important issues when he testified at the Senate and House Budget Appropriations Committee joint hearings on the government’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024 totaling $664.9 million, which began on Monday morning.
Mauga touched briefly on his department’s proposed budget of $3,035,000, which he said was only just over $120,000 more than last Fiscal Year’s approved amount.
The breakdown of the Department of Local Government’s proposed budget;
Secretary’s Office - $1,003,000
Eastern District - $853,000
Western District - $683,000
Manu’a District - $434,000
Right-of-Way - $43,500
Swains Island - $18,500
Final Budget FY 2024 - $3,035,000
The final proposed amount is an increase of $128,500 from FY 2023 approved amount of $2,906,500.
He explained that the increase has been proposed so that they can implement changes for the betterment of their services to the public.
Mauga thanked the Judiciary for making available funds that were spent on renovating the department’s headquarters behind the Executive Office Building and improve internet connectivity.
He also acknowledged the support of the executive committee of the Samoan Heritage Week in Hawaii and stressed the importance of keeping our culture alive and passing it on to the young generations, especially those living off-island.
Mauga pointed out that American Samoa is the only member of the US family whose congress operates differently in that Senate members are not voted in like other territories and states, but are handpicked through traditional consensus by chiefs and orators of every district.
“This is unique and highlights the beauty of our culture,” he said. “It also highlights the authority vested in the matai system which binds our people together in the Fa’asamoa.”
He then elaborated on the need for village police officers to help the pulenu’u (village mayors) in enforcing the law in rural villages.
“Village populations are growing and the pulenu’u are having a difficult time performing their duties because of the increase of crime like domestic violence and other crimes related to alcohol and drugs,” Mauga revealed. “They need assistants to help them which is why I am requesting the creation of 15 more village police officers.”
Mauga stated that Manu’a already has village police officers to assist the pulenu’u in each village. However, there are only seven village police officers in Tutuila and Aunu’u.
He also revealed that his office has had discussion with the local Marine Patrol and the US Coast Guard on the need to build a small wharf in the Western District to help with the monitoring of the territory’s borders from foreign vessels and alia entering the Territory illegally.
He stated that he has heard reports of fishing alia from Samoa docking illegally off the coast of Fagamalo village, which is the easternmost village on Tutuila.
“Who knows what else were in those coolers of fish?” Mauga wondered aloud.
The Secretary of Samoan Affairs also expressed his support for the renovation of the LBJ Tropical Medical Center as a prelude to the construction of a new and more modern hospital to better serve the people of the Territory.
He then went on to state that the same goes for the need to have more than one bank and plane.
Mauga also pointed out that it is imperative that new roads must be built to ease traffic congestion and in case a tragic event like the fires in Maui happens.
These are all issues that must be addressed to improve life in American Samoa.
Senator Malaepule Saite Molliga then moved a motion to excuse the witness and recommended the passage of their proposed budget.
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