Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Lt Governor, Talauega E.V. Ale has made it clear the foundation for the new hospital will be laid this year at the old Tafuna housing area in Nu’uuli — across from the Pala Lagoon park area or Lions Park area.

This is regardless of concerns about the ability of the hospital to sustain nurses and physicians to oversee the hospital’s operations, nor the legal problems it currently has with the site — apparently a land lease was signed for the area with a locally owned company, towards the end of Lolo Administration.

During the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Talauega cited several issues that will be included in the governor’s upcoming State of the Territory Address.

“There are many priorities of the governor and the administration that will become more clear and in focus as the governor presents his State of Territory report next week.

“But there are a couple of things that have been mentioned already that are priorities.

 “The hospital has to be built or in the process of being built in the next 2 years, there's just no other way to say that. 

“We all have other things that we are concerned about. And some are still housed in the area where the hospital is going to be, hoping that by some miracle somebody's going to come from heaven and allow you to stay there; please don't expect that,” said Talauega.

“Everybody who is at this area — you have got to move out. This is a priority. The hospital has to be built,” reiterated the Lt Governor.

Late last year LBJ hospital Chief Executive Officer Moefa’auo Bill Emmsley confirmed with Samoa News the construction of the new 40-bed hospital will be built in an area across from Lions Park but is on hold due to a lease dispute in the area.

The existence of the lease was confirmed by the lawyer for NighHawk Company, Marcellus Talalelei Uiagalelei, who said that there is an existing lease for the location in question, citing that it was signed by previous-governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga the last week he was in office.

Samoa News understands the land in question was assigned to NightHawk Company in lieu of the company’s existing lease of the Country Club in Ili’ili, which is currently under construction.

There is a civil case pending in the High Court.

Moefaauo told Samoa News earlier that he hoped the governor would “consider” diverting the funding for the new hospital to renovate the current LBJ facility.

In question is the $50 million of the $300 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act that is allocated for recruitment, retention, and retraining of staff at LBJ and the proposed new 40-bed facility in Tafuna/ Nuuuli.

 “Funding to cover these costs is essential to attracting and retaining qualified staff to make the healthcare system in American Samoa viable and effective,” LBJ said in its ARPA funding documents released by the ASG ARPA Oversight Office.

These activities will address major hurdles associated with recruiting staff, retaining staff, staff benefits, continuing education/training, housing, and salaries.”

During the Cabinet meeting Talauega said as of last week they were still trying to “figure out” where the hospital would be built.

“Last week when we had the meeting we were still trying to figure out where the hospital is going to be; how are we going to write up the architectural plans for this hospital when we don't know exactly where at Lions Park [it] is going to be?

“So all of you directors that have something to do with that and all of you [that] are thinking of leasing any piece of property in that area to somebody please don’t; the area is prohibited from being leased.

“Nothing will happen in that area unless it's approved by the governor because we want to put that foundation down this year and start building it (the hospital) — that's a priority.

“And it's a priority that's tied to a bigger priority of the government and that is healthcare. We need to improve our healthcare and the ability of our people to access good and strong enough care. 

“So please let's all work together to make sure that the hospital is built or start to be built this year,” said Talauega.

Moefaauo told Samoa News earlier, when he came on board as CEO, the decision had already been made to build the new hospital.

 “I did my own assessment on the reports and the conclusion I came up with was that the funding would be well spent if invested into renovating the current hospital.

“The LBJ hospital needs to be upgraded, in terms of infrastructure, facilities, medical equipment and more importantly physicians and nurses, where they are very much in need.

 “This may be a blessing in disguise for us to reconsider the current plans and allocate this funding to upgrade our only hospital” — referring to the disputed lease.