If you can’t laugh about our life in American Samoa, then the gatekeepers have done their job — to make us pay for their lifestyles with our hard earned money, while browbeating us into believing right and wrong has to do with how much we give at the altar…

NUMBERS DON’T LIE — PEOPLE DO

How many times have we reconciled our personal checking account or our paycheck “on a wing and a prayer”? Hoping there is enough money to cover our expenses, i.e. our cost of living? Hoping… and knowing… there is just not enough… “e le o lava le fa’asoa”.

It’s the power and water bills, the fa’alavelave tautua, the church donation, and the kids’ school fees and supplies, and oh by the way: we have to eat. These are our daily worries, as we live pay check to pay check.

So, when I hear the lawmakers — faipule and senators — say they are concerned whether or not the government will be able to collect $106 million in FY 2015, given the fact that ASG had projected $108 million in revenue for the entire FY 2014, but the Treasury report forecasts that ASG will collect only $99 million when FY 2014 closes on Sept. 30 — a difference of $9 million — I just want to bang my head against the wall and ask God to deliver us from “Evil”.

People: The independent audit report by Moss Adams for FY 2013, released in June, shows that ASG collected just over $90 Million, and shows a $10.43 million overrun for FY 2013. In other words, the lawmakers are allowing the government to spend money it doesn’t have, it’s doubtful will ever collect — so it will never be there. That’s based on facts!

And for a culture that prides itself on historic-based traditions, these lawmakers are betraying our trust in their supposed wisdom.

As the legislative branch of government, as ‘tama o le atunu’u’ — something they love to throw in our faces when demanding respect for their decisions — the lawmakers have the ultimate responsibility to say “no” to such nonsense, not support it, not encourage it… they need to lead by example, not by greed and self interest. GONG!

PAY RAISES AND THE VETO OVER-RIDE REFERENDUM

I’ve had my say about the pay raises — including the minimum wage we keep postponing. How do we ask Congress to keep delaying it, and then raise the wages of government leaders, including the office allowances of the faipule and senators? If they cannot see the ‘le alofa’ — then I say we vote out of office the ones who vote for the raises; and for the senators, we push to have them elected like the faipule, making them accountable for their paychecks.

This is the reason I am against the “veto override” — it’s okay for the faipule, they are elected — if we don’t like their vetos or their votes on a bill or issue, we, the people, can vote them out.

But, remember our senators are not elected. To whom will they be accountable? To themselves? Their districts? Do we trust them to use the power for Good? I understand the self governance issue, but I think we, the people, have to ask ourselves: Where do we come into the equation? Where are we in this check & balance system? Because ultimately — that’s Democracy… GONG!

COLA INCREASE

And right on time — on Wednesday, the Governor in a letter sent to Fono said the Retirement Board has unanimously approved a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 0.5% increase for retirees whose date of retirement occurred prior to October 1, 2014. The letter was with the bill to approve the COLA increase.

The ASG retirees have now been included in the siva.  God bless our old people, I say. The government owes a debt of gratitude to these “selfless, dedicated, retired employees”. Now everyone that counts in this administration is getting a raise, except the minimum wage earners… you know “THE PEOPLE”… Talofae … GONG!

CABOTAGE EXEMPTION PETITION

According to the petition: “A federal law, ("cabotage" restrictions), relegates American Samoa to two flights in and out per week for most of the year. It prevents American Samoa from creating a tourism industry, interacting with other countries in the region and developing its economy. Congress needs to treat American Samoa fairly …Tell Congress to do the right thing and repeal this restrictive aviation law.”

I signed the petition yesterday, right after I wrote this. I agree, the cabotage restrictions need to be lifted (as they are in Alaska), because we are living with the results of a monopoly—and it’s ALL BAD! No matter how many free tickets they give our charity fundraisers … GONG!

TAFUNA HILTON

Did anyone catch the last sentence in our story yesterday entitled, “Temporary release of inmate raises outcry from fellow prisoners”?

Asked about the release of inmate Fuala’au Tuua from jail to attend the signing of her family’s business contract with the FAA for landscaping, Commissioner of Public Safety William Haleck told Samoa News that he will look into this matter, as it was unclear to him why the contract was not brought to the jail for the inmate to sign… Here Mr. Haleck — you may GONG! the bell.