Fono Briefs
by Fili Sagapolutele
and La Poasa
Samoa News Staff Reporters
SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Senate President
Lolo M. Moliga and House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale have established
a six-member special Fono committee - three from each chamber
- to review how to best use the Fono's $3 million share of the
$20 million loan from the ASG retirement fund.
Lolo announced
this at yesterday's session and then appointed Sens. Tulifua
Tini Lam Yuen, Faamausili Mau Mau Jr., and Liufau Sonoma as the
Senate's members on the committee. Savali has announced his appointment
to the committee from the House side.
Lolo said the
committee will be given 30 days to review, research and discuss
the best options for the Fono to consider for the utilization
of the Fono's share from the loan.
FONO EMPLOYEES
The Senate Government
Operations Committee, chaired by Sen. Fiatauiaulava I. Sauni
has scheduled a hearing on Thursday, March 20 to discuss legal
issues surrounding annual leave for Fono employees.
Fiatauiaulava
said an administration directive has been issued about this matter
which provides that Fono employees are entitled to annual leave.
However, the issue still remains unsolved.
The senator has
called for Human Resources director Mageo Malu to appear at the
hearing.
Senate President
Lolo M. Moliga said the Fono's legal team is working on a legal
opinion, which will be provided to senators for their review.
Gov. Togiola
Tulafono issued a Sept. 24 executive order establishing a policy
for ASG with regards to annual and sick leave entitlements for
short-term and temporary contract workers, limiting the terms
of their contracts, and authorizing the retroactive restoration
of all annual and sick leave for such employees. The order went
into effect immediately.
The policy permits
ASG short-term and contract employees to accrue annual and sick
leave, according to formulations contained in every short-term
contract.
Except for employees
of the Legislative Financial Office, all Fono employees are non-career
service employees.
HOUSE APPROVES
APPROPRIATION FOR LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT
The House unanimously
approved in final reading today 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.
The bill now
goes to the Senate for their review.
"VISA"
ROAD
The Procurement
Office has issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) from qualified
firms for the "Lauli'i Visa Stream Crossing Emergency Repair
Project". All submissions shall be received until 2 p.m.
on March 27 at the Procurement Office.
Department of
Public Works director Taeaotui Punaofo Tilei told senators on
Thursday that ASG will have to find local funds for this project,
currently estimated to cost about $70,000. He said the federal
government cannot provide financial assistance for projects under
$70,000.
Senators voiced
their disappointment that it's taking a long time for the government
to move on this project while the one-lane road continues to
pose a threat to the safety of motorists.
The Senate was
informed during the hearing that there are two Lauli'i village
road improvement projects in the planning stages, under the Territorial
Transportation Improvement Program for FY 2008 through 2011.
These two projects, funded by the federal government, cover an
inner village road just off the main highway and continuation
of the existing concrete pavement.
Reach Fili
Sagapolutele at fili@samoanews.com.
Reach the reporter at la@samoanews.com.
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