Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga Tasi Asuega has welcomed salary increases for village policemen but says more policemen are needed to combat the spread of drugs in the territory.
Testifying on the Office of Local Government’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget, Mauga said the pay increase for ASG included the village pulenuu and this was a good incentive for them.
He said the village policemen assist pulenuu In monitoring illegal activities and maintain law and order in villages.
Even before Mauga was given the floor, Senator Utu Sila Poasa, who chairs the budget hearings with Rep Vailiuama Steve Leasiolagi said the joint Budget Committee has given its blessings to the Samoan Affairs budget. He invited the Secretary of Samoan Affairs to address the Fono but as far as his budget is concerned, the Committee has basically approved it.
House Speaker Savali Talovou Ale and Senator Togiola Tulafono remarked that this was not the norm, usually endorsement is given after the director’s testimony, not before.
Togiola made an observation about the new starting salary for village policemen of $15081, based on ASG’s new starting hourly wage of $7.25.
He sees a need to raise the salary of pulenu’u, now just over $19,000 so that their salaries are higher thank that of village policemen.
In addition the salaries of county chiefs would need to be increased or they would be making the same salary as pulenuu.
Under the Samoan Affairs structure, after the Secretary, are the District Governors, then county chiefs, pulenu’u and county chiefs in that order,
