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Lolo/ Lemanu cabinet shaping up, with three more appointments

fili@samoanews.com

Former director of Parks and Recreation Department, Samana Semo Ve’ave’a, has been tagged by Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga to head the local Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS) during the second four-year term of the Lolo/ Lemanu Administration.

Pending “nomination and confirmation” by the Fono, the governor in a Jan. 10 memo designated Samana as ASDHS Acting Director and the designation was effective Jan. 11.

Two employees of ASDHS say Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga introduced Samana at a department staff meeting the morning of Jan. 11.

Samana, a military retiree and current member of the Development Bank of American Samoa board of directors, had served as Parks and Recreations director during the last four years of the Togiola Administration. He is currently a JROTC instructor with the Department of Education and he is expected to step down as a DBAS board member.

During the first four-years of the Lolo Administration, the ASDHS was headed by Iuniasolua Savusa, who is also a military retiree. Samoa News understands that Savusa didn’t re-apply for the directorship post.

OTHER APPOINTMENTS

In a Jan. 11 memo, the governor appointed Jonathan Fanene as designated acting director of the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs and the designation was effective yesterday. Fanene, who has served as director for the department in the past four years, is subject to Fono confirmation.

Also subject to Fono confirmation is the governor’s designation of Dr. Oreta Crichton, as Acting Chief Procurement Officer that became effective Monday. Crichton — who served as senior policy advisor in the Governor’s Office during the Togiola Administration — took over the Chief Procurement Officer post in mid 2015, after former chief procurement officer Tiotalaga John Kruse resigned before he was convicted in a fraud case at the federal court in Washington D.C.

Not subject to Fono confirmation is the governor’s re-appointment of Poumele Pete ‘Apisa’ Galeai as director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, which is an agency under the auspices of the Governor’s Office. Poumele’s reappointment became effective yesterday.

The governor is expected to release soon more cabinet appointments.