Fono Briefs
by Fili Sagapolutele
and La Poasa
Samoa News Reporters
SENATE APPROVES
FUNDING FOR DBAS
The Senate approved
yesterday legislation that allocates $1 million annually to the
Development Bank of American Samoa (DBAS) to assist the bank
in achieving its purpose of promoting private enterprise and
developing the local economy.
The bill was
assigned to the Senate Economic Committee for review but no hearings
were held to discuss the issue.
Committee chairman
Sen. Alo Dr. Paul Stevenson told his colleagues yesterday that
providing this yearly funding to DBAS will benefit the community
and boost economic development.
DBAS president
Utu Able Malae told Samoa News early this week that DBAS is thankful
and supports the legislation, which is funded by the Income Tax
Reserve Account, which also funds local tax refunds.
With the Senate's
approval, the bill now goes to the House for their review.
LOLO CALLS
FOR HEARING ON STATUS OF TEMCO FUNDING
Senate President
Lolo M. Moliga has requested the Senate Public Works Committee,
chaired by Sen. Tulifua Tini Lam Yuen, call a hearing soon and
summon Mike Sala, the acting director of the local Department
of Homeland Security, as well as representatives of TEMCO, to
discuss their funding status.
TEMCO, an agency
that used to stand on its own, is now a division of the local
Homeland Security.
Lolo's request
yesterday came after a Senate hearing earlier in the day about
locally-funded Federal Highway Administration projects.
During the hearing,
Sen. Tuaolo M. Fruean asked Taeaotui about the status of the
Pago stream project, which was under TEMCO's jurisdiction. He
said the stream continues to overflow and flood nearby homes
and stores during rains and something needs to be done.
Public Works
Director Taeaotui Punaofo Tilei, one of the witnesses at yesterday's
hearing, said his office was not involved in this particular
project when it first went out for bid about two years ago. He
said the project comes under TEMCO, but FEMA funding, which came
under TEMCO, has been frozen.
(The U.S. Department
of Homeland Security (USDHS), of which FEMA comes under, placed
a freeze early last year on all funding to American Samoa.)
"So what
do you want our village to do to lift this freeze?" Tuaolo
asked.
Taeaotui suggested
a sitdown meeting with Sala and TEMCO officials to discuss the
project.
Tuaolo requested
Taeaotui to set up a village meeting with Sala's office and for
Public Works to also be present to discuss the urgency of the
Pago stream project.
Lolo asked Tulifua
to schedule a hearing to discuss the stream project as well as
the status of funding that was frozen by USDHS. No hearing date
has been set yet.
LOLO SEEKS
FINAL REPORT ON HEALTH CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR AS
Senate President
Lolo M. Moliga has written to Gov. Togiola Tulafono to request
a final report from the government's Healthcare Task Force about
the study to establish a Coverage for All in American Samoa (CAAS).
The task force
appeared last year before the Senate to discuss the status of
the universal health insurance plan and promised the Senate to
return to present its final report once the actuarial studies
were completed, said Lolo.
However, he said
there has been no word from the task force.
"With the
looming financial crisis at LBJ Medical Center it is now a matter
of necessity and urgency that we secure doable alternative strategies
to avert this calamity," Lolo wrote.
The CAAS final
report, which was prepared by the Office of the Lt. Governor,
recommends that the territory adopt several health care options
and reform initiatives, including the creation of a health insurance
for ASG workers and mandating immigration bonds to include insurance
premiums for coverage of foreign nationals.
HOUSE TO VOTE
ON FINAL READING TODAY ON APPROPRIATION FOR LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT
The House is
scheduled to vote on final reading today on their version of
a bill to appropriate $147,230 to pay a 2006 judgment in a lawsuit
filed by Leasuasu Tupuono against LBJ hospital and ASG over the
death of his wife in 2001.
The payment for
the judgment is to come from the Claims and Damage Fund account
administered by the AG's Office and from un-budgeted and unexpended
revenues of ASG for FY 2008 and any subsequent fiscal years until
such time as all amounts due pursuant to the judgment are satisfied.
According to
a report submitted by ASG treasurer Gaea P. Failautusi, the Claims
and Damage Fund currently has a balance of $113,326.98.
Rep. Laolagi
F.S. Vaeao, chairman of the House Budget and Appropriations which
reviewed the bill, said since the money in the fund is less than
the settlement, ASG will seek money from unbudgeted and unexpended
revenues from FY 2008 or previous fiscal years to cover the balance
of the settlement.
Reach Fili
Sagapolutele at fili@samoanews.com.
Reach La Poasa at la@samoanews.com.
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