
Swains Representative Su’a Alexander Jennings has reached out to both Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula and Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata to notify the Fono that the five constitutional amendments which were approved by voters in the 2022 referendum have been approved by former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.
On Friday after a motion was introduced to confirm Ta’aga Sa’ite Moliga to be Commissioner of Public Safety, the Swains faipule moved to delay the vote.
One of the constitutional changes that was approved gives the Swains Delegate the right to vote on confirmations and other legislation before the House.
Jennings said he had asked the Governor to notify the House Speaker that all the amendments have been approved. He told KHJ News later that he wanted to vote on the cabinet confirmations hence his motion to delay the vote pending notification that the constitutional changes have been approved.
No one seconded his motion so the vote went ahead on Friday and Jennings was not able to vote.
Jennings also sent an email to Congresswoman Uifaatali saying that Secretary Haaland had approved the amendments on January 16, and the Congresswoman was present. A joint release about the signing said one of the reasons stated by Secretary Haaland for signing the 5 amendments on January 16 was to avoid potential delays in implementing them under a new Secretary of Interior that could take weeks or even months. “Unfortunately,” Jennings told the Congresswoman, “despite the Secretary’s approval and your subsequent media releases, no effort was made to notify the Fono, now going on weeks since the approval of our amendments.”
He quoted Article 5 Section 4 of the American Samoa Constitution that once the Secretary of the Interior approves any amendments they become part of the Constitution.
“As of now, two weeks after the Secretary’s approval, the Swains Island Delegate is still prohibited from voting in the Fono, a clear violation of our constitutional rights and the right to self determination of the people of American Samoa,” lamented Jennings.
He pointed out every vote that the Swains Island Delegate was not allowed to participate in since January 16, were important but Governor Pula’s cabinet nominees are extremely important to Swains Island, “yet we are still denied the constitutional right to vote for them.”