The Governor’s Office was unable to confirm over the weekend if the new ASG Employees Retirement Fund board members, appointed last Thursday by Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga, will attend the Feb. 20-21 meeting of the Retirement Fund board in Honolulu.

Former board members and some 20 plus lawmakers, whose expenses and travel are paid for by the Retirement Fund, are attending this biennial gathering.

Meanwhile, the Governor’s Office is preparing the appropriate submission for Fono confirmation of the new ASG Employees Retirement Fund board members.

Based on information from the governor’s office last Thursday, Samoa News reported on Friday that the new board members are Brant Judy, John Marsh, Talalemotu Mauga, Vince Haleck, and Su’a Schuster.  Brant Judy is the only re-appointed member from the outgoing board.

However, the governor’s office said over the weekend that Avamua Dave Haleck, instead of Vince Haleck, will be the new board member.

 Provisions of the law state that the board shall select their own chairman, and that the terms of office of the members shall be five years, except that the original appointees shall be appointed for terms of 1, 2, 3 and 4 years. As their terms expire, new members shall be appointed to fill vacancies and such appointments shall be made for terms of 5 years.

Asked if the newly appointed board will attend the Honolulu meeting of the Retirement Fund, the governor’s executive assistant Iulogologo Joseph Pereira said the new Board will have to meet first to determine their course of action and “we do not know what will transpire afterwards.”

“...these are recess appointments because the Fono is in recess, thus they have legal sufficiency to conduct business until the Fono reconvenes and deliberates on their confirmation,” said Iulogologo over the weekend. He also said the governor’s legal counsel has been instructed to prepare and submit for Fono conformation the names of the new Board.

The Fono is currently in a mid session recess and reconvenes on Mar. 4.

Asked if the Fund’s former board of trustees are attending the Honolulu meeting, Iulogologo said, “We have been told that the former board members are attending the meeting” and reiterated that the governor’s office remains unsure as to what the new board will do about the Honolulu meeting, and it's the board that makes the determination on whether or not they will attend.

He said the new board has not yet met officially.