There has been no response from the Governor’s Office to our request for a reaction to the US Treasury Inspector General Office’s position that funds for lawmakers’ offices are not COVID-19 related and any funds used should be returned to ASG.
And there’s no reaction from the Fono leaders either.
Reached yesterday, House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale said that the Fono hasn’t received any information about the letter from the US Treasury.
We asked Deputy Inspector General Mr Richard Delmar who authored the letter, if there has been a response from ASG.
He said yesterday there has not been any response but his office is in communication with the government and expect a response will be forthcoming.
He declined to comment when asked how many complaints have been filed with his office regarding the spending of COVID-19 funds on the lawmakers’ offices and general spending of the funds by ASG.
People have been asking. based on the letter from Mr Delmar referencing a meeting with Treasurer Ueligitone Tonumaipe’a and Executive Assistant Blanch Barber, whether OIG sent a representative to the territory.
Mr Delmar said they do not have a representative in American Samoa.
The mentioned meeting was in a telephone conference “prompted by information we received in our role as the program monitor regarding uses to which ASG was putting Coronavirus Relief Fund monies.”
His letter of July 14 to ASG Treasurer Ueligitone Tonumaipe’a also mentions that conference calls were also planned with the Chairman of the Coronavirus Task Force and the head of the Compliance Review Committee as was suggested in their conference call with Ueligitone and Barber.
KHJ News asked Mr Delmar for any information he feels should be shared with members of the public.
He said the CARES Act tasks Treasury OIG with monitoring, oversight, and, when indicated, recoupment of funds disbursed under the CRF to states, territories, tribes, and certain local governments.
“We accomplish this by providing guidance to applicants/recipients on proper uses of CRF funds, on record keeping and reporting, on management of the reporting portal, and by audit work as the program is carried out. This includes, as appropriate, recoupment of funds not properly used.”
