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Fono Briefs
compiled
by Samoa News staff
FONO QUESTIONS
WHY DPW DOING FESTIVAL CONSTRUCTION
Department of
Public Works director Taeaotui Punaofo Tilei was questioned last
Thursday by the Senate Government Operations Committee as to
why Public Works is doing construction work at the Veterans Memorial
Stadium and renovation of the Fagatogo Pavilion instead of putting
the projects out for bid.
Local contractors
have complained about the DPW doing the work instead of the government
bidding these projects out to the private sector.
Taeaotui told
the committee that Public Works estimates the cost for the stadium
work to be at $800,000 while the Pavilion renovation would be
close to $60,000, and the bidding process takes long to complete.
He said DPW can
do the work for much less and these two projects must be completed
before the 10th Pacific Arts Festival set for July 20 to Aug.
2.
Taeaotui said
both projects, whose expenses are paid for by the festival's
organizing committee, are considered "emergency" needs
and cannot be delayed.
The stadium will
be used for the opening and closing ceremonies for the festival
while the Pavilion will be utilized for various cultural performances.
FONO WILL
CONVENE NEXT TWO SATURDAY'S
Senate President
Lolo M. Moliga informed senators on Friday that the Fono leadership
has agreed to convene on the next two Saturdays (Mar. 22 and
Mar. 29) so that the 3rd Regular Session of the 30th Legislature
closes on Friday, Apr. 4th.
The Saturday
sessions will make up for the two holidays - Martin Luther King
(Jan. 21) and Good Friday (Mar. 21) - during the current session.
Lolo said if
there are any changes he will let the membership know in advance
but this is the current plan for now. With three weeks left in
the current session, Lolo asked senators to act on all pending
legislation.
The Senate is
also calling on the House to act on Senate bills before the current
session closes.
Reach the reporter at la@samoanews.com
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