Senate Pres: Senate Not Doing Anything About Protest

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Senate President Gaoteote Togafau Palaie says the Senate will not have anything to do with a planned demonstration by a citizens group against the bill to increase Fono salaries.

During today’s Senate session, Senator Alo Faauuga said he heard on the news last week and the newspaper also reports today that a group of local citizens is organizing a demonstration against the Fono’s pay raise.

Alo asked the Senate President what the Senate’s response to the demonstration will be.

Gaoteote responded, “We’re not going to do anything about it.”

The Senate leader said the Fono does not work according to the wishes of “people who roam the streets and take their issues to the media.”

He said if there’s such a protest that’s within the rights of individuals but the Fono will carry out its work according to what it knows is best and should be done.

Gaoteote told senators stories in the media and people walking the streets with their signs are not new and the Fono will carry out its responsibilities nonetheless.

A citizens group calling themselves the United Citizens of American Samoa are holding a peaceful demonstration against the salary bill from 6am to 8:30 tomorrow and Thursday.

Today the chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, Senator Laolagi Vaeao announced that the hearing on the salary bill has been cancelled.

Laolagi said the reason for the cancellation is so that the Government Operations committee can hold a hearing that had been scheduled for tomorrow concerning the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority’s request for a loan from the Retirement Fund.

The hearing set for tomorrow was cancelled because ASTCA board members called to testify are not available.

The ASTCA board attended a meeting in Honolulu last week of the Pacific Telecommunications Association.

While deliberating on the cancellation of the ASTCA hearing, Senator Laolagi suggested that the hearing on the pay raise bill be cancelled so they can give the chance to the Government Operations Committee to have their hearing.

No word from Laolagi when the Budget and Appropriations Committee will discuss the pay raise bill.

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