The Airport Road project and the School Lunch Program were among the issues discussed last Friday at the half hour confirmation hearing for newest cabinet member to the Lolo and Lemanu Administration, Dr. Oreta Mapu Crichton as the Chief Procurement Officer. She was unanimously confirmed by the House of Representatives in a vote of 14-0.

Rep Vailoata Amituana’i told the director that his concern about the Procurement Office is the problems they have encountered in the past regarding the bids for the Airport Road project and the issue of sole sourcing the watermelons for school lunches.

He told the director to avoid these types of predicaments and to protect the government’s assets. He told her that she should not allow any mistakes to be made in any of the bidding processes for any one of their projects, as this would open up the government to liability.

At one of the cabinet meetings, Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga said the purchase of the watermelons by the school lunch program (SLP) should have gone through the government procurement process. The governor was referring to the money SLP spent on imported watermelons — half a million dollars — in the span of five months. in which he pointed out that he has instructed the Treasury and the Procurement Office to review thoroughly what the offices are trying to purchase, and if there are any red flags, it should be returned.

The governor said the order of watermelons amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars yet when Procurement was asked about this, they were not aware of it.

He pointed out that these are government properties and must be accounted for, and protected. Lolo said the government will be liable if anything happens, so despite the quantity, if it's government property it needs go through the procurement process.

The watermelons, he pointed out, were those which Samoa News reported on last month from leaked documents showing they were purchased from only three vendors from November 2014 to April 2015, with payments received up to May 6, 2015.

Vice Speaker, Fetu Fetui Jr and Vesi Talalelei Fautanu of Manu’a both urged Dr. Oreta to have a procurement office set up in Manu’a for the ASG offices. Vesi stated the Manu’a operation is complex, when it comes to procurement. He explained the EOB for the Manu’a island is completed, however a procurement office is missing.

Another issue he raised is the accountability of the government’s property that is sent to Manu’a via the MV Sili. “When the MV Sili arrives in Manu’a, once it’s docked, everything that is on the boat, is for everyone — and that’s what’s missing, government property accountability in Manu’a. He urged Dr. Oreta to look into that matter and make sure that procurement policies in place should be adhered to.

Manuma Wayne Wilson urged the director to work along side her employees as a majority of the departments are not working together with their director and that’s what brings them before the Fono on many occasions.

In the governor’s resolution letter to the Fono, he points out that Dr. Oreta brings a distinguished record of professional experience in government service to the position, and lists her background, which includes serving the previous administration as co-chair of the Economic Development Council and her many years with Congressman Faleomavaega Eni’s office as staff assistant and for 12 years as District Office Director.

Her educational background contributes to her suitability for this new role with a BA from BYU, Master of Science from the University of the District of Columbia and a Doctorate in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, the governor states.