Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A Facebook video post has been making the rounds locally showing the head of of the American Samoa Historical Preservation Office (ASHPO) Epifania Suafo’a Taua’i hitting an Asian cashier while having a verbal altercation with her.

Taua’i is heard using foul language as well as saying she has the right to hit her (cashier) because she won’t shut up when she told her to “shut the ‘f_ up”.

It’s not exactly clear why the altercation occurred but a comment to the post says it’s over a ‘discount’ request. The person who posted the video and wrote a lengthy comment in Samoan, goes on to state that this is not the behavior of a director and she should be dismissed immediately.

The post goes on to say — “you didn’t pick the directors accordingly… you picked your directors depending on who likes who”, even if unqualified or not up to the job.

(Samoa News should point out that ASHPO comes under the Officer of the Governor and like the Office of Medicaid, its leadership is ‘appointed’ by the governor, not nominated as is the case of cabinet directors, and it is believed as such they do not need Fono confirmation to serve.)

However, the post highlights the problems the Pula & Pulu Administration seems to be having with getting some of their nominees confirmed as directors.

The House took a second vote last week Thursday on two director nominees, who did not pass confirmation in the House earlier: Timothy Jones as Director of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources and Aaron Hall as Director of the Office of Public Information/KVZK-TV.

Jones was denied in the reconsideration vote with 7 yes, and 10 no votes — 11 yes votes are needed for House confirmation. Jones must vacate the position immediately, according to statute, but his name can be resubmitted for DMWR director at the next succeeding session. It’s unknown at this time if Jones’ name will be resubmitted.

The House did approve Hall to serve as Director of the government owned television station in his reconsideration vote. Hall has already been approved by the Senate so he is now fully confirmed.

Palaita Tusipasi Suiaunoa was also confirmed as Director of the Department of Corrections, last week, with the Senate having already approved him.

In the meantime, the Procurement Office and Chief Election Office is still without confirmed directors/ leadership due to the nominees being told by senators to provide them with additional documents before confirmation can move forward.

For the Procurement Office nominee documents concern a business that he and his wife own. To date there has been no word if the nominee has provided the documents or when a confirmation hearing will again be scheduled.

For the Chief Election Officer nominee, senators want to see his previous contract with the Lemanu Administration before his confirmation hearing can continue.

There is also the nominee for Parks & Recreation that was rejected by the Senate, with no reconsideration vote considered. The House has yet to schedule a hearing for this nominee, and probably will not as both chambers must confirm a nominee before they can become a cabinet director.

Of note: Local statute states that “no person shall serve as an acting director of a department, office, or bureau for more than 90 days whether consecutive or not, without confirmation by the Legislature.”

(The video and posts can be viewed on Jenny Enny Kiegi facebook.com. — it was posted 2 days ago, according to the Facebook page.)