Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The FY 2024 budget for the American Samoa’s OFY 2020, 2021, and 2022 never completed (OPM) will not be decided unless the Director, Poleen Asalele provides a completed Inventory Report for FY 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The lack of completed inventory reports came to light when OPM’s Director Asalele failed to provide inventory reports when asked for by the Fono, during the Joint Budget Hearing held on Aug. 31, 2023, for the department.

At the time, he told the hearing they have copies of an inventory report for the year 2022, but it’s incomplete.

The focus on the inventory reports, which are suppose to be a complete count of government fixed assets, such as vehicles, furniture, equipment, etc., was a result of concerns that such assets were being sold, yet they could have been easily fixed.

One of the senators reported how he observed the recent auction of government vehicles, and soon after the auction, witnessed them (the vehicles) being driven around on the public highway. His concern was that the vehicles, which he noted are expensive, had been sold and yet could have been easily repaired.

“Those vehicles cost about $75,000, they could be used by the Department of Education.”

Asalele said during the hearing that OPM does not have a mechanic.

House Vice Speaker Fetu Fetui, Jr. then pointed to the auction of ASG vehicles as further proof of corruption in the government — through these vehicles and other companies.

Fetui advised the director to look at these government properties, as he believes most of those vehicles weren’t supposed to be sold at auction.

 “Such loopholes should be closed off” he said.

He added that a mechanic should also be hired for OPM.

Senator Togiola Tulafono also queried Asalele as to why 2004 and 2005 inventories are mentioned inside the 2024 budget?

The Director said that was an error.

Sen. Togiola then asked if they are doing an inventory of ASG property every year, and Asalele responded, “Yes”, but added that for the year 2022, they’ve only done the “Vehicles”.

 Togiola also pointed out the 28% increase or $128,000 in the department's personnel cost, yet there’s no operations costs.

“How are you going to do inventory, if you don't have a budget for it?” the senator asked.

In response, Asalele said that they’ve been granted five employees from the DOE, including four for inventory.

In addition, he told the joint hearing that the Governor has planned a trip to Manu’a in the month of October to conduct an inventory there, as earlier he had told the joint hearing that an inventory had been scheduled for March this year, for Manu’a, but it had been cancelled. At the time, he also noted that most of the government’s auctions take place on Tutuila.

With the uncertainty of the government property inventory, the director was then ordered to provide Inventory reports for FYs 2020, 2021 and 2022, before the Senate and House Joint Budget Hearing Committee decides on their proposed Budget.