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Fono News

HAZARDOUS PAY FOR MV SILI CREW

 

Port Administration Director Taimalelagi Dr. Claire Tuia Poumele has confirmed to lawmakers that the government offers hazardous pay for crew members, or sailors, of the MV Sili and this pay is set by statute.

 

Taimalelagi’s statement was in response to Rep. Vesi Talalelei Fautanu’s question during Port Administration's FY 2016 budget hearing. Vesi said the MV Sili crew should get hazard pay because of the type of work they do sailing between Tutuila and Manu’a.

 

According to the Port director, the program for hazardous pay is in the statute and is handled by the Department of Human Resources, which also has all the needed information. Taimalelagi noted that when she came on board as director the hazardous pay had been previously discontinued, but it has since been reinstated since last year, and the pay also applies to crew members of other ASG boats.

 

INDUSTRIAL PARK MONEY PAYS MARKET PLACE MANAGER’S SALARY

 

During the Commerce Department’s fiscal year 2016 budget hearing, Sen. Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono questioned why the Fagatogo Market Place manager’s salary is paid by revenues collected from the Tafuna Industrial Park — which is supposed to generate its own revenue and is managed by DOC. He also asked for the name of the Market Place manager.

 

Soliai said the salary for the Market Place manager is listed as $30,910 and there are other employees of DOC also being paid by the Industrial Park revenues. 

 

DOC acting director Uili Leauanae identified the Market Place manager as Limutau F. C. Limutau. He then explained that the Market Place operation is overseen by three departments — Commerce, Agriculture, and Marine and Wildlife Resources, with the salary of the Market Place manager being among DOC’s responsibilities. He said the other two departments involved in the joint-management of the Market Place help with other expenditures.

 

The Tafuna Industrial Park FY 2016 budget totals $670,000 with $612,500 towards personnel costs covering 17 employees.

 

Because DOC director Keniseli Lafaele is off island for medical reasons, Leauanae was allowed to answer questions on the DOC budget. The Fono had made clear to the Governor’s Office that only directors are allowed to testify unless there is a specific emergency or reason otherwise.

 

LAWMAKERS HEAR EXPLANATION ON HAZ-MITIGATION PROGRAM

 

Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) executive director Alfonso ‘Pete” Galeai provided a brief explanation to lawmakers on the procedures to move an application through ODAPM to get project funding under the federally funded Hazard Mitigation Program.

 

Galeai gave the briefing during ODAPM’s fiscal year 2016 budget hearing on Wednesday where Rep. Vesi Talalelei Fautanu inquired as to the status of the hazard mitigation application for a Tau road project, as the assessment has already been conducted by ASG.

 

Galeai responded that the Hazard Mitigation Program is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and that he has not received an application for the Tau road project. He explained that an application does come to ODAPM’s Hazard Mitigation Program manager Lima Fiatoa, who is also the State Hazard Mitigation Officer.

 

The application is then presented to the Hazard Mitigation Committee of American Samoa, chaired by Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who is also the Governor’s Authorized Representative or GAR for FEMA.

 

Galeai said the application is reviewed by the committee to be placed on the schedule of projects — which is a long list — and the projects are prioritized depending on the type of needs outlined in the application as well as information from other ASG departments. From there the project application is submitted to FEMA for hazard mitigation funding.

 

The explanation provided by the ODAPM boss helped lawmakers, who have also, over the past several months, sought information on procedures to follow when it comes to keeping hazard mitigation funding for their constituents.

 

ODAPM, which includes the Office of Petroleum Management, and the American Samoa Disaster Relief Office, was previously known as the Territorial Office of Fiscal Reform (TOFR).

 

A couple of months ago, the governor issued an executive order changing the name of the agency to ODAPM, which is located in Tafuna.