An executive member of the American Samoa National Olympic Committee has responded to statements by Governor Lolo Moliga concerning funding for Team American Samoa for the 16th Pacific Games in Samoa. The member spoke to KHJ News only on condition of anonymity.
The governor had said when the ASG Fiscal Year 2019 budget was compiled he had assigned then Director of Youth and Women Affairs Jonathan Fanene and Deputy Director Pa’u Roy Ausage to find out ASNOC’s financial planning for the Pacific Games and what assistance ASG could offer.
He said the report he received was that ASNOC couldn’t accept direct financial assistance from ASG because of potential political influence in sports.
The executive board member said this is not true. ASNOC can receive donations from anyone, including the government, as long as there are no strings attached or government influence over the ASNOC, which is mandated by its constitution to be non-political and free from government control.
According to the official, there seems to have been some misunderstanding on the side of the governor’s representatives from DYWA, “especially since the ASNOC has received funding assistance from this administration in the past without any issues.”
He said if the ASNOC couldn’t receive financial assistance from the government, then we would have declined the $100,000 offer made by Lt Governor Lemanu. .
Instead of financial assistance Lolo said the MV Manu’atele was provided to take the athletes to and from Samoa.
The executive member said the ASNOC is grateful for the government support with the Manu’atele in helping to transport TEAM ASA delegates and supplies to Samoa for the Games. “This included our only para-athlete (disabled-athlete), who is in a wheel chair. Without the Manu’atele, he would not have been able to attend the Games.”
The executive board member pointed out that ASG also supported TEAM ASA through KVZK-TV purchasing the broadcast rights for the Pacific Games and by KVZK sending a full camera and editing crew to film the Games and conduct interviews with the athletes and officials to send back home for families to see and be a part of.
ASG also provided their full support for all ASG employees representing American Samoa and flag at the Games.
Governor Lolo indicated that when ASNOC submitted its list of people going to the Games, there were more than 300 names. And he advised that they reduce the number to ease up on costs.
The ASNOC executive member explained that the total number of delegates was based on the 15 sports federations that we had going to the Games and what each federation had submitted as far as athletes and officials.
The governor found fault with ASNOC not being transparent with its finances and not making preparations all these four years for the teams going to the Pacific Games.
The ASNOC official said the budget for the Games was provided to then Director of DYWA Jonathan Fanene last year.
“Notwithstanding, the ASNOC’s goal was take ownership of its future and put the responsibility on each national federation and its members to do their best to come up with their own funding,” he told KHJ News.
“As the Games approached, most of the federations were still short in their efforts and they had reached out to ASG on their own. The ASNOC did not approach government for help; instead, the government asked the ASNOC and the Pacific Games Federation to a meeting, offered and asked how they could help TEAM ASA. ASG was provided with an updated budget and indicated where they could help with lodging and food costs along with team uniforms. ASG agreed to cover these costs and we had accepted their offer.”
The governor had questioned why if the organization was hard up for money did its officials stay at a nearly $500 tala a night hotel in Apia for the Games.
The response from the executive member: “This was the official hotel for the Games, and protocol dictated that officers of each of the Pacific Games Associations (PGAs) stay at this hotel. Because of these protocols, PGAs were given a special rate of $150 per night.
“The ASNOC did not pay for Miss American Samoa to stay at the hotel, but the ASNOC as a courtesy to our government leaders, did pre-pay three rooms for ASG, 4 months in advance in order to get the special rate and to ensure our national delegates were taken care of during the Games.”
When KHJ News asked the governor how the $20,000 donation that ASNOC did receive from ASG was made considering the explanation about undue political influence,, he said the contribution was not listed as direct financial assistance but some other category that ASNOC used, for which he doesn’t have details.
The ASNOC official responded, “We are not sure where the Governor got his information from as this is not correct. The contribution was listed as a donation like all other donated funds the ASNOC receives from donors, both government and public. The ASNOC is audited each year by a certified independent auditing firm and every four years by the International Olympic Committee which provides the grant funding.”
