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DPW and DoA cabinet nominees fully confirmed

Human Resources Department director-nominee Eseneiaso Liu (right) on the Senate floor last Friday after embracing and shaking hands with Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie (left). The Senate confirmation hearing confirmed the nominee last Friday morning.  [photo: FS]Newly confirmed Department of Public Works director Faleosina Voigt (left) shakes hands with senators following her confirmation hearing last Thursday in the Senate.  [photo: FS]Newly confirmed Agriculture Department director, Filifa’atali Michael Fuiava (left) shakes hands with senators following her confirmation hearing last Thursday in the Senate.  [photo: FS]
DHR director-nominee confirmed by Senate
fili@samoanews.com

Two more cabinet nominees - Faleosina Voigt as Public Works Department Director and Filifa’atali Michael Fuiava as Director of the Agriculture Department are now fully confirmed by the Fono.

The Senate last Thursday handed down unanimous, but separate votes of 17-0, to confirm Voigt and Filifa’atali.

The House has already confirmed both Voigt, who served in the last four years in the same post, and Filifa’atali, who served for many years at the Department of Public Safety, where he also served as deputy police commissioner in the Togiola administration before he retired.

And last Friday, the Senate endorsed, in a 15-1 vote, the governor’s appointment of Liu as Human Resources Director. Liu’s confirmation hearing in the House is slated for this week.

DPW DIRECTOR

Voigt’s confirmation hearing last Thursday morning before the Senate Public Works Committee had a majority of the senators commending her hard work in the last four years, with committee chairman Sen. Alo Fa’au’uga informing his colleagues that Voigt is a director who had been called so many times before the Senate over the four years.

Sometimes, he said, Voigt would be summoned by the committee at least twice a month to address the many complaints from the public on the bad conditions of the roads and other infrastructure problems. (It should be noted that Voigt have also been called before the House many times in the last four years for the same reason.)

There were a few issues raised by the committee including the “lake” in front of the Mormon Church in Ottoville with Tualauta Sen. Fonoti Tafa’ifa Aufata saying that it’s like a “swimming pool” during and after heavy rain, and wanted to know what is being done to address this long-standing problem.

Voigt acknowledged the concern, which has been raised over the years by residents and Tualauta lawmakers. She did point out that repair and improvements to the drainage in the area has been contacted out and the work should start soon. Additionally, the government is also working on a long-term solution to this problem.

Sen. Magalei Logovi’i commended DPW for the many excellent improvements to the main road, but the Tualauta senator noted with concern that many areas of the road have been cut and dug up, and then it takes a long time to have it repaired again. And when it rains, deep potholes are created. Magalei’s concerns were echoed by others senators — all wanting to know who is responsible for repair to cut-areas of the road, to which Voigt said that many times it deals with American Samoa Power Authority water line projects and that ASPA is responsible for repairing the cut-areas.

It was also noted during the hearing the lack of backhoes for the department, to which Voigt said they have two but when additional ones are needed, they are leased from local businesses and DPW is working on securing three more backhoes — one each for Tutuila, Ta’u island and Ofu island.

Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funding for fiscal year 2016 includes an allocation of $500,000 for the purchase of a backhoe, two dump trucks and a sweeper to provide road maintenance by DPW, according to the Interior Department’s Office of Insular Affairs in a news release last July.

AGRICULTURE DIRECTOR

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie called on Filifa’atali to always remember the local farmers, who depend on farming for their livelihood.

Sen. Fai’ivae A. Godinet pointed to news media reports last year where DoA imposed a ban on the sale of locally grown vegetables — except for aquaponic vegetables and taros and bananas — to the school lunch program and stores, due to concern over chemicals used by farmers.

He said this is a serious health issue especially with vegetables sold to the school lunch program, which targets school children. Other senators echoed his concern.

Sen. Magalei Logovi’i added that DOA should also take care of farmers when it comes to the produce they provide for school lunch. He said that pounds now accepted for the federally funded program is much lower than years ago because of new federal guidelines.

He said the US, with many large farmers, should not be compared to a small territory as American Samoa. He also recalled that years ago, DoA was considered a “broker” for farmers, who depend on their farms for a living.

Some senators called on Filifa’atali to look at helping owners of pig farms, which are considered farming and comes under the DoA jurisdiction. They suggested that DoA look at providing a subsidy for pig farms for purchase of pig feed, which they claim is expensive.

Filifa’atali, who retired from the Department of Public Safety some six years ago, is a Manu’a farmer, who was educated at Avele College and the School of Agriculture — both in Samoa.

DHR DIRECTOR-NOMINEE

After serving in Human Resources for some 47 years for the American Samoa Government, several senators say Liu is deserving of the nomination as DHR director and that in the last four years, she was deputy director.

Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie saId Mrs. Liu is a person best described as an “unsung hero”, who has worked hard behind the scene for more than 40 years. He noted that the Senate, through a concurrent resolution, commended Liu in 2015 for her many years of service in Human Resources.

If fully confirmed by the Fono, Gaoteote advised Liu to make every ASG employee important especially lower level workers. “There is not such thing as a small potato,” Gaoteote said.

Sen. Magalei Logovi’i also advised the director-nominee, to put her “personal feelings” on the side, when making decisions.

Sen. Tuiagamoa Tavai acknowledged the many letters of commendations from past top government officials for Liu. “They [all] spoke highly of you,” Tuiagamoa informed the director-nominee. And after more than four decades of public service, “you are deserving of this post” as director, he added.

Responding to a committee question, Liu said that DHR conducts training every three months on the rights of employees in the work place and it’s an employees’ right to take his/her case to the federal level — the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — if the employee feels his or her rights are violated. She did note DHR employs an equal employment opportunity officer, who deals with employee’s rights in the territory.

Liu was the lead plaintiff in the EEOC’s age discrimination case filed at the federal court in Honolulu against ASG during the Togiola Administration. EEOC accused ASG of violating the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) by moving Liu to another DHR division because of her age. 

A consent degree was reached in 2012 forcing ASG to comply with all provisions of ADEA, which includes thorough training, and Liu was hailed by many in government and the private sector for standing up for her rights especially when it comes to the issue of age discrimination.