Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga has urged his cabinet members to be patient with the lawmakers when they are testifying before the Fono on certain issues.

The comments were made during a cabinet meeting last week at the Agriculture Conference room, where Lolo pointed out to his directors that both he and the Lt. Governor are aware that testifying before the Fono takes up a lot of a director’s work time.

During one of the sessions last week, Faimealelei Anthony Fu’e Allen pointed out that the Fono does not take lightly when directors appear before them.  He said it’s not right that when they are starting a hearing on delicate issues, other lawmakers motion for the director to leave.  He told his fellow colleagues that this should not happen. He said when the director comes before the Fono, that person is there for a reason, and the lawmakers should not waste the director’s time.

Lolo said at the cabinet meeting, there are guidelines for lawmakers to use when calling on directors to appear in the Fono for hearings, and the director should be informed 72 hours ahead of time, however that is not what’s happening.

He said it appears that a hearing is called for “tomorrow” and the notice for the director to appear at that hearing is given to them the day before — and on top of that, they reports are requested, yet they do not allow the administration ample time to draft the requested reports. Lolo reiterated to the directors to have patience with the Fono members, saying they must have a mutual relationship with their lawmakers.

Samoa News observed an example yesterday where patience was needed when the House held a hearing with the Public Works Committee, with DPW Director, Faleosina Voigt, accompanied by Candice Mutini, as the witnesses.

At the close of the hearing, House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale raised his voice when telling Voigt that DPW employees are not doing their job or the duties allocated to them. Savali said that after rainy days, the DPW employes should be cleaning the drainage — a simple task.

Savali told Voigt that he is losing patience with her department. The Speaker further told Voigt that if there is a director who appears before the Fono on numerous occasions, it is the DPW Director, however it appears that nothing positive is coming from it, as she hears complaints by the public and nothing is done.

He told Voigt that the lawmakers do not take lightly the numerous complaints by the public regarding the maintenance of the roads.

The DPW Director in response stated that there are 15 DPW employees with the road maintenance crew who are mandated to clear the drainages and fill the potholes after rainy days, across the entire island.