
A proposed constitutional amendmentment which would add a third House Representative for Tuala-uta District was the subject of a Senate Rules Committee hearing yesterday.
At the request of Senator Magalei Logovii, Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga, Director of the American Samoa Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review and Federal Relations presented a paper which provided options on reapportionment of the Legislature of American Samoa.
Tapaau said the paper was not the position of the Governor’s Office.
Other witnesses for the hearing chaired by Senator Faamausili Mau Mau Jr. in the absence of Chairman Sen. Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga Nua were Manu’a District Governor Laolagi Vaeao and Western District Governor Fuamatu.
The addition of a third House Representative for the most populous disrict in the territory would mean 22 members of the House.
According to the American Samoa Constitution, senators and representatives shall be reapportioned by law at intervals of not less than 5 years.
Citing the 2010 census, the paper by Tapaau showed that there were 20,858 people residing in Tuala-uta. The distirct has two faipule , the same as Sua number 1 and Sua number 2 with only 3,323 people.
One option for reapportionment that was presented is to base representation in the Fono on population but keeping the same borders for all of the districts.
Another was to change borders by making populations equal, a scenario that could well create three new districts in the House.
And the third option was to combine traditional districts.
It was noted in the discussions on the measure that other districts would also want additional faipule but the question is will the government be able to fund an increase in Fono membership.
Since the measure would amend the constitution it has to pass two successive legislature before it can be put on the ballot.
The Senate Rules Committee decided to hold off the measure for further discussion.