After all that was said and done, the Senate Committee on Retirement called off the hearing that committee members approved to hold today with the Retirement Fund Board.
Manu’a Senator Galea’i Tu’ufuli, who ever since the start of the current session had pressed for the Senate to question the Retirement Board, moved a motion to cancel the hearing until an investigation into improprieties and alleged misappropriation of the Fund is completed.
Galeai did not attend yesterday’s session when the chamber debated whether to hold the hearing or have a closed door discussion with the Retirement Fund Board.
Witnesses who were already in the Senate gallery ready to be called into the chamber included Chairman of the Board Vaanatiu Toafala Iafeta, Mrs. Aloma Langford, and new Executive Director of the Retirement Fund Iaulualo Faafetai Talia.
Ituau Senator Soliai Tuipine said this is what he was trying to tell his colleagues yesterday…and a Senate Investigative Committee was needed to handle just the type of investigation they were now discussing.
Soliai felt that if the Senate had an SIC, it could issue subpoenas to government officials.
But Soliai deferred to the decision of the Senate yesterday to go ahead with the hearing today.
Galeai’s motion to cancel the hearing was supported by Senate President pro tem and Manu’a senator Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga pointing out that Galeai’s concern about the ongoing investigation was what he was trying to make his fellow senators understand.
He advised his colleagues to put their trust in the Governor, the Commissioner the Attorney General’s Office, and law enforcement to handle the Retirement Fund case.
He again suggested that since the matters is now in the hands of the law, the witnesses may not be able to answer their questions for legal reasons.
Acting Chairman of the Retirement Fund Committee Senator Atualevao Asifoa gave one last chance to Senator Laolagi Vaeao who pointed out that the hearing with the Retirement Fund Board has been discussed by the Senate for some time.
He said the witnesses have turned up but several board members were not present, and he did not know why the missing board members were not there.
Laolagi said he was now uncertain if there is a relationship between the ongoing investigation and the recent payout by the Retirement Fund, a reference to a purported final payout for former Executive Director Taafua.
He said it would take forever to talk about this issue.
Senator Atualevao called for the committee to vote on whether or not to hold the hearing and Senator Tuiasina Esera tried to express his opinon when the chairman cut him off.
This prompted Ma’oputasi Senator Tuaolo Fruean to ask the chairman to give the rest of the senators a chance to express their opinions and ask questions.
Tuaolo asked the chairman if this means they cannot talk about any issues pertaining to the Retirement Fund until the investigation is complete.
(Ed’s note: The police investigation of the former Executive Director of the Retirement Fund was completed three weeks ago and the report submitted to the Attorney General’s Office)
Committee Chairman Atualevao in response to Tuaolo pointed out that it is the Retirement Committee’s wish to deliberate on this matter first before they bring it in to the chamber for everyone to deliberate on.
Senator Tuaolo was surprised by the Committee Chairman’s comment pointing out every time they discuss issues pertaining to the Retirement Fund it was done as a Senate Committee of the whole.
And this is the first time he has heard the position mentioned by Atualevao.
Had he known, he would not have attended but wait until the retirement committee is done with their meeting. During the Senate session, Tuaolo said he was embarrassed by Atualevao’s comment.
When a vote was taken on whether or not to postpone the hearing, 8 Senators raised their hands and voted to have the hearing today.
The committee chairman misconstrued the vote to mean that the 8 wanted to continue or “faaauau” the hearing to another date.
