Senators and representatives have expressed their feelings about the groundswell criticism directed at the fono for matters that are really not their doing.
Two senators and a House member who spoke with KHJ News but did want their names used at this stage said many of the causes that have been raised by the group that demonstrated yesterday, commentators on social media, Samoa News and talanei websites, and on 93 KHJ Radio are controlled by the executive branch.
The legislators said the Fono passed the 2% wage tax earmark fo the hospital.
They said It’s not the Fono’s fault that the administration hasn’t paid what was collected from the tax for the hospital.
Similarly the monthly subsidy of $500,000 for LBJ.
According to a letter form the former Hospital Authority board chairman Leilua Mase Akapo to Governor Lolo last year the hospital owes more than $ 5 million to LBJ.
The lawmakers who spoke with KHJ News also said that the executive branch is responsible
for purchasing desks and chairs for public schools.
There are legislated earmarks for school furniture and the governor’s Special Programs also has funding allocated for such needs.
Other criticism relate to non payment of overtime for police, customs and other personnel with 24/7 duties and the delays in paying increments for ASG employees.
The main target of the group that held a demonstration in front of the Fono yesterday, United Citizens of American Samoa is the bill passed by the House of Representatives and now with the Senate which gives lawmakers $20,000 pay increases.
The group is holding a second protest tomorrow at the same place beginning at 6am.
