Lawmakers who approved the bill to raise the salaries of Fono leaders and members in the House yesterday said during committee discussion of the bill that the increase in salary would help them assist constituents who seek financial assistance.
Sua Faipule Puleleiite Tufele Jr. thanked the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Faimealelei Anthony.Allen for taking the initiative to introduce the bill.
He said representatives wear many hats with their affiliations in church, village, district and immediate and extended families.
This places many demands on their financial resources. Constituents seek them for monetary help.
Puleleiite also said that the pay increase will not benefit sitting representatives, just those who get re-elected as the bill will not go into effect until the new legislature next year.
The faipule said if the bill is approved then “hallelujah, thank you.’
The bill’s lone sponsor, Rep. Faimealelei commented that it’s always hard for people to accept changes but they are necessary.
He quoted fron the speech by Senate President Gaoteote Palaie at the opening of the Fono.
The bill was approved by a vote of 13-4 yesterday and should be introduced in the Senate today.
One of the four lawmakers who opposed the bill was Tuala-uta lawmaker Vui Florence Saulo.
She said it has always been her belief that her constituents come first. And Tuala-uta District being the biggest district in the territory both in size and population, it’s the one which needs funding the most.
Vui said there are still many improvements needed in Tuala-uta ranging from secondary roads, to schools, to infrastructure, to public health issues.
All of these projects require capital something Vui says our Government is lacking at this time.
The faipule reminded that she has made several requests with the Administration for these improvements yet her requests remain pending.
Rep Vui said she believes a salary increase is a good thing to encourage talented leaders to take public office.
However, she said she cannot in good-conscience agree to a raise in pay “while the children in my district sit on floors for lack of chairs, or some families face health issues from stagnant water every time there is a heavy down pour.”
She said the current infrastructure, however, is not adequate to meet the demands of the current population in Tualauta district, with regards to roads.
Vui said there are still back roads and access roads to heavily populated residential areas within
Tuala-uta district that need improvement.
She concluded, “I understand that the funds for the proposed salary raise are nowhere near the amount to fix everything, but I believe that every drop in the bucket can make a difference.”
