Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — LBJ hospital legal counsel, Thomas Jones confirmed there are three separate investigations of certain employees that are on-going as per a directive from the hospital Board of Directors.

This was revealed during a press conference with the LBJ Board officers and the media on Tuesday.

The board said investigations of the individuals are not related and there are issues that need to be addressed.

“It’s just a review of how they were performing their duties at LBJ and whether they should continue to be able to perform their duties like any employees,” said Jones.

He said “if there's information that comes to light that they (the board members) feel that they (the employees) are not performing to standard or are not living up to ethical standards that we expect of LBJ employees; we are going to review their employment status.

“And that is really the process we're at right now. It does not necessarily mean that we have found anything at this point that would be determinative of their employment status, but we imagine we have justification to put them on leave,” said the legal counsel.

In the meantime, the LBJ Board of Directors, has rubbished reports they are considering to “remove” the current Chief Financial Officer, Fala Sualevai-Lesa.

Board Vice Chair Dr Jean Anderson in response to Samoa News emails for comments said the CFO was hired by the board.

“The Board selected the current CFO who is committed and dedicated to the LBJ mission and vision.”

Samoa News received calls last week after the CEO resigned from his post regarding the alleged reports concerning the CFO.

However, Dr Anderson said the CFO has demonstrated genuine efforts to rebuild LBJ and address financial concerns from the past. 

“The CFO has the necessary experience and expertise to ensure successful contribution in a collaborative effort to provide quality care for our people and a hospital that our people deserve,” said Dr. Anderson.

Last year the LBJ Board advertised for a CFO after they removed then-CFO Reverend Rapi Emau Amosa and created a position for him as Ombudsman.

The CFO is responsible for the implementation, management, and safeguarding of the Institution’s healthcare management plans and its associated systems.

Other responsibilities are further listed including “a direct leadership role in the decision-making process of LBJ’s fiscal and accounting systems, affecting its overall healthcare policies, procedures, and processes,” as well as being “responsible for executing the financial strategy of the American Samoa Medical Center Authority aim to advance and improve the quality of its healthcare delivery system, thereby ensuring that consistent quality of medical services is rendered and received by all resident of American Samoa seeking medical attention and treatment.”

In March of last year, Rev. Amosa was appointed as Acting CEO of the hospital after Faumuina Taufete’e John Faumuina tendered his resignation from the position.

When Rev. Amosa was replaced by the LBJ Board, the Board said in a press release that Amosa’s primary duties as CFO of LBJ, were “shortcoming” and the additional burden placed on him as Interim CEO, with extracurricular duties were not being met.

The board replaced the Reverend with Moefaauo William Emmsley, as acting LBJ CEO. Moefaauo, at the time, was a member of the LBJ Board.

In April 2022, Moefaauo was selected for CEO after the LBJ board’s search was done by the “book,” — according to a press release issued by the hospital’s board of directors. His position was for two years, and the press release noted that the board decision was unanimous.

Last week, Moefaauo resigned, but will continue to get his salary and benefits, according to the LBJ Board.

Last week, a statement issued by the hospital, said in part that while the Board is assuring the public that the LBJ medical center is continuing to provide quality care, “in order to accomplish the mission and vision of the Board, Mr. Bill Emmsley and the Board unanimously agreed that his resignation was in the best interest of LBJ moving forward.”