The annual Inter Agency Group for Insular Areas (IGIA) meeting in Washington,D.C. key for island leaders to press their local needs with federal officials each year, has been cancelled next week.
KHJ Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports…
The annual session of IGIA was originally scheduled for Monday, but Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas and International Affairs Doug Domenech has formally announced the meeting’s cancellation.
Domenech writes in a letter dated February 22nd that all the territorial governors have recently informed his office that they had to “make the difficult decision this year not to travel to Washington, DC” to attend the IGIA Plenary meeting–or the National Governors Association annual winter meeting, that includes dinner and a meeting with the president.”
Governor Lolo Moliga designated American Samoa Power Authority Executive Director and local GOP party Chair Utu Abe Malae to take his place, in the aftermath of Cyclone Gita.
Utu made it to DC and submitted on behalf of the governor, a statement focused largely on the importance of American Samoa’s fishing industry, and the failure of NOAA to even identify wit hAmerican Samoa the value of the territory’s fish production…
Play Audio
Utu argues the omission hurts American Samoa’s interests when federal officials make policy.
This year’s IGIA session meantime, was set to hear from IRS and Treasury Department officials on the implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Island governments fear revenue shortfalls from the new tax-reducing law, that could result in local tax hikes, agency and school cutbacks, including personnel and pay cuts.
This year would be the first time since 2006 that an annual meeting has been missed.
Former President George W. Bush created the IGIA by executive order in 2003.
Consecutive annual meetings started in 2007, based on a list of meetings by the Office of Insular Affairs website.
The sessions have given American Samoa’s governors and delegates, the chance to discuss with White House and agency officials key local concerns.
But storms like Gita, financial and other local problems are keeping island governors home this year.
