Lolo, Eni pledge open, frank co- operation in DC - Samoa News

Page 4 samoa news, Thursday, February 28, 2013
Interagency group on
Insular Areas meets
plenary session oF island leaders and
Federal oFFiCials held at interior dept.
(PRESS RELEASE) — WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governors
and Congressional representatives from each of the U.S. Insular
Areas gathered in Washington this week to attend their annual
meeting with senior-level federal officials to discuss issues of
importance to American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S Virgin Islands.
The 2013 Senior Plenary Session of the Interagency Group
on Insular Areas (IGIA), hosting by the Department of the
Interior, was co-chaired by White House Director of Intergovernmental
Affairs David Agnew and Deputy Secretary of the
Interior David J. Hayes.
The island governors also were in Washington to attend the
annual National Governors’ Conference, the Western Governors
Breakfast, and U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meetings, all
of which preceded the IGIA Plenary Session.
Various Governors and Congressional representatives from
the U.S. Insular Areas provided remarks and statements unique
to their island and highlighted useful ideas and goals for their
constituencies that developed from the sessions at this year’s
annual meeting.
In addition, the Co-chairs provided important remarks at the
annual meeting.
“This annual meeting and its important workshops underscore
the collaborative progress we are making to ensure the
health, safety, and welfare of our people in American Samoa,
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands,
and Puerto Rico,” said Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes.
“It is my hope that folks who have traveled thousands of
miles to be here this week will work to identify other areas and
initiatives that we can employ to do an even better job moving
forward to ensure that resources can be found to advance the
priorities of these Insular Areas.”
“It was a pleasure meeting with the governors and the representatives
at this IGIA where we held serious conversations
about addressing the issues facing the US Insular Areas,” said
Eileen Sobeck, the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Insular Areas.
“We were especially pleased to welcome newly elected
Governor Moliga of American Samoa. This year we are placing
special focus on following-up with our sister federal agencies,
the governors and the delegates to Congress throughout the
year to continue moving forward on the issues.”
“IGIA provides a great opportunity for agencies and the
White House to hear directly about the challenges and priorities
of the US Insular Areas,” said David Agnew, Director of
the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
“Thank you to the governors, representatives and their staffs
for the productive discussion, which will help inform our policies
in the weeks and months to come.”
Sobeck co-chaired the IGIA with Deputy Secretary David
Hayes on behalf of Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.
Charles Galbraith, White House Associate Director – Office
of Intergovernmental Affairs, co-chaired the IGIA with David
Agnew, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of
Intergovernmental Affairs. Interior Deputy Secretary David J.
Hayes and Director Agnew gave opening remarks at the Plenary
Session.
CORRECTION
Doug Harrington informed Samoa News that he arrived
in American Samoa on March 10, 1995, as production manager
for Southwest Marine, not as general manager, as stated
in Wednesday’s article titled “Governor expands shipyard
board.” on page 2. The incorrect information was contained in
the governor’s memo dated Feb. 15.
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Retirement Fund loan has
less than $1 Million left…
by Fili Sagapolutele, Samoa News Correspondent
A new ASG “summary” report on the $20 million loan from the ASG Employees Retirement
Fund shows that less than $1 million is left to be expended, while allocations assigned to projects,
such as for the Fono show a standing balance of close to $3 million still to be used.
The loan has been the subject of concern and complaints by lawmakers over the years because
of the way it has been spent and last year, it became the subject of a probe by the Senate Investigative
Committee, as the investigative panel sought clarification into where the money went.
The loan money, under the law, is to be repaid by a certain percentage of excise taxes imposed
on beer, alcohol and tobacco and all customs declaration fees.
siC interim report
The SIC interim report last summer revealed that as of Apr. 26, 2012, only $2.39M of the loan
proceeds, held at the Bank of Hawai’i, had yet to be expended, and this information was based on
ASG financial records. (Samoa News notes there was no indication in the report if the ASG financial
records to which it referred include a reconciled bank statement of the loan proceeds account.)
The SIC report also stated that some of the projects funded with the loan used up more money
than was initially allocated for those projects, while some projects with allocated loan proceeds
were in jeopardy of not having sufficient loan funds to complete projects.
Some of those notable examples were:
• Western District had spent $409,748, with a balance remaining of $490,252;
• Eastern District expended $683,849, with a balance of $216,151;
• Manua District had spent $847,900, leaving a balance of $52,100;
• the Fono expended $301,601, leaving a balance of $2,698,399
The SIC interim report says the largest overruns occurred in the Pacific Arts project ($1,072,563)
and the Tug Boat (or Marisco) project ($1,450,320).
Current asg summary report
In the new ASG summary report that has made its way to some lawmakers, it shows that — as
of Jan. 31, 2013 — a total of $19.03 million (or $19,039,692.60) has already been expended from
the loan, leaving a balance in the fund of only $960,307.40.
According to the new report, of as Jan. 31, 2013:
The Western District remaining balance is $103,326.78;
The Eastern District remaining balance is $23,688.81;
The Manu’a District remaining balance stands at $2,789.31; and,
The Fono remaining balance stands at $2.30 million, as of Jan. 31, 2013.
The new report also shows that the Samoan Heritage Week in Hawai’i was allocated $50,000
but total expenditures stood at $153,602 and the ASG Fale Samoa in Utulei Beach was allocated
$45,0000, while total expenditures were $64,419,19.
However, under the new summary, as of Jan. 31 this year, these overruns for the Pacific Arts
Festival and Tug Boat dropped slightly, at $1,052,439 and $1,200,320, respectively.
baCkground
The SIC Interim report noted three interesting points that were a part of the law passed by the
Fono that allowed the government to borrow the money:
1) Under provisions of the loan, $1 million was allocated to each district to carry out their
capital improvement projects, with 10% from each district going to the office that manages and
oversees these projects,
2) The final determination of the loan allocation amount, or budget, by project was to be made
by the governor (Togiola Tulafono), and
3) Authorization, or directives for expenditures, for projects was to be made by the governor.
Some House members of the current Legislature have sought additional information on the
spending of this loan, while the most asked question seems to be: Are there any funds left from
the loan that can be used as a funding source?
As it stands, if projects with allocated funds are still to be honored — the answer is no, with the
Fono project being the focus of a major shortfall. However, as noted under the law — authorization
and final determination of the loan proceeds is under the purview of the governor.
In this case, it is now Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga who will have the last say.