Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Government finished out the FY 2024 2nd quarter with an estimated shortfall of $11 plus million, according to its FY2024 ASG Performance Report. The 2nd quarter performance report comprises the months of Oct 01, 2023 to March 31, 2024, and is a Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Change in the Fund Balance — preliminary and unaudited.

The shortfall is the difference between the actual expenditures and the actual revenues.

The Annual Budget passed by the Fono for FY2024 is $162,500 million, which includes a supplemental budget of $19,500 million added to the general budget that is stated as $143 million. The 2nd quarter budget is cited at $81,250 million, with actual expenditures of $81,615,789. Actual revenues collected are listed at $67,279,685, leading to the shortfall of $14,336,104.

Adjusted Debt Service, which has an Annual Budget of $14 million, is shown at a debit of $2,900,380 for the 2nd Qtr, while shortfalls specific to Sports Complex, Airport, and Housing Fund adjust the shortfall of $14,336,104 to $11,883,015.

Certain special programs continue to have problems covering their needs, such as the Medicaid Subsidy which shows having only $1,739,671 in its budget balance. The Medicaid program has stopped taking on new patients since the beginning of March 2023, for its off-island program. Only those patients that were already on the program prior to its suspension are still being serviced.

Samoa News reported in March that the American Samoa Medicaid State Agency (ASMSA) notified Gov. Lemanu P.S. Mauga and Lt. Gov. Talauega E.V. Ale in a memorandum dated January 16, 2024 of the depletion of local match at the end of the 2nd quarter of FY 2024 on March 31, 2024.

At the time the Medicaid office requested additional funding for a supplemental appropriation to continue the Medicaid programs until the end of FY 2024. A month later, ASMSA informed the top ASG leaders that all Medicaid services would be suspended by March 1, 2024, a month ahead of their previously stated suspension date of April 1, 2024. To date, supplemental appropriation for the ASMSA has not been proposed by the Administration.

On the other hand, the LBJ Hospital General Fund Subsidy of $1 million for the 2nd quarter, shows it has been paid out, as was the ASCC Subsidy of $500,000.

Of interest, the Summer Youth Employment Program, which is popular with local students shows no budget outlay, only a budget balance of $4,000+. The program usually starts reaching out to students, however Samoa News notes there has been no mention of it publicly.

Further, the Governor’s Office is said to be partially funding the 200 individuals slated to go to Hawaii for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture slated for June 6-16. Participants are expected to return on June 17.

Samoa News could not get a confirmation about the 2024 SYEP or that the Governor’s Office budget is funding the PacFEST contingent.

All that is known is that the local delegation consists of 100 artists of various cultural disciplines whose accommodation and meals will be paid for by the festival organizing committee, and support staff from various government departments who will be assisting in the various performances.

Right after the 2024 PacFEST, the Samoan Heritage Week festivities will take place from June 15- 18, in Hawai’i. Government and Fono leaders are expected to stay for the two-week festival to honor invitations from the Samoan community leaders in Hawai’i.