Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  ASG Treasurer Uelinitone Tonumaipea told last Thursday’s cabinet meeting the good news that the American Samoa Government ended fiscal year 2018, which closed Sept. 30, 2018, “in the black”, and this conclusion was echoed by Katherine D. Saelua, director of the ASG Office of Program Planning and Budget.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, ASG officials said over the weekend that a “detailed report” of FY 2018 has not been released yet, and would be provided to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga for his review.

The officials also says the details of ASG in the “black” will also be included in the governor’s State of the Territory Address when the Fono convenes in January next year for the 36th Legislature.

During the cabinet meeting, the governor mentioned some good news regarding FY 2018 but didn’t elaborate further saying that Tonumaipea will share the news.

“I’m not going to give you the numbers,” Tonumaipea told the cabinet when he was given the chance to address the meeting, adding that it’s up to the governor to provide those numbers.

“All I’m going to say is that, we ended FY 2018 in the black,” he said, adding that it’s the fourth consecutive fiscal year that ASG operations ended in the black. Therefore, he thanked cabinet members for their support and cooperation in ensuring that result.

This was also echoed by Saelua, telling cabinet members that, “no man is an island and I thank you for your support, being mindful of your budgets” and that “we ended in the black.”

She acknowledged that there were some departments that were in the red, “but it couldn’t be helped.”

“Remember we had a 10% cut across the board” and “that couldn’t be handled” by agencies such as the Education Department, she said, adding, “So it was bound to happen.”

“I want to thank you for your support,” she told cabinet members. “It’s a very happy feeling when we can come together and know that we are operating in the black.”

In conclusion, she again thanked cabinet members for “a job well done.”