Senate President Pro Tem Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga Nua says reports received by the Legislature from Treasury shows that $4.5 million has been spent on the new Fono building .
He says the Senate has only learned from media reports that $10 million from the latest bond sale is for the Fono building but that money hasn’t been turned over to the Fono as far as he knows.
In an interview with KHJ News, the Manu’a senator related that while presiding over the Senate session last Friday he fielded a question from Senator Satele Galu Satele concerning the Fono building project.
Satele wanted to hear an explanation of why the project isn’t moving forward, how much money has been spent on it and if there’s any progress towards resuming construction of the building.
Senator Nua stated that as far as he can tell from financial reports from Treasury the $4.5 million has already been spent but how it was used maybe only the Senate President and House Speaker know.
During the Governor’s State of the Territory Address, Governor Lolo said that he doesn’t know why the project has been halted but indicated that FEMA is working with the contractor on the design for the building.
KHJ News has reported several times on the notice that FEMA gave in August of last year that since the new building is in a flood zone area it needs to be built on piles.
The original design was in compliance with the flood zone requirements. However the design was later changed and the new design does not meet local and federal standards for construction in a flood zone.
FEMA has cautioned that if the building is not in compliance with flood zone regulations, ASG may be disqualified from the National Flood Insurance Program and may lose sfuture federal disaster assistance, as well as other federal funding including for Capital Improvement Projects.
Another issue that Senator Satele queried was the status of the renovated Department of Public Safety building.
He observed that the building has been completed for some time and asked why is isn’t being used.
He’s heard that the building will not be dedicated until the new fire station next to it is finished 
Satele said it appears that projects are being carried out without following regulations and some were not budgeted but are in full swing.
Satele also questioned why the Fagatogo Pavilion has been barricaded for several months and there’s no work going on at the site.
He said with the barricade, there’s not enough space on the Fagatogo malae for senators to park their vehicles.
Senator Nuanuaolefeagaiga said he’s asked Senate staff to get information about the projects which Satele asked about As for the Fono building project , he says the Senate President may have more details on the funding .
