For “their disgraceful lies” when testifying before a Senate committee, senators yesterday unanimously approved a non-binding resolution calling for the removal of the LBJ Medical Center’s top two board members, or otherwise “demand their resignations.”

The Senate resolution, introduced by Sens. Tuaolo Manaia Fruean and Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono, provides unreservedly a “Vote of No Confidence” for board chairman Mase Akapo and vice chairman Tofaeono Dr. Victor Williams — who were both called “unethical in their travel practices” and citing the “disrespect shown” when “they lied” in an official Senate Health/LBJ Committee hearing.

Last week senators unanimously agreed to introducing such a resolution after voicing their disappointment during a floor debate in which they said Mase and Tofaeono had lied (“pepelo”) during the first of two committee hearings which covered among other issues, the off island medical referral program, which currently pays only airfares for patients seeking off island medical needs.

In the resolution, the senate pointed out that during the course of two separate committee hearings, senators directed questions to Mase on whether his travel had been paid through the referral program.

Although Mase replied that his travels were not paid by the program, it was later confirmed by the referral program committee that Mase “was untruthful and that he traveled four times on the referral program,” the resolution states.

At the same two hearings, Tofaeono was asked the same question and he replied that he had traveled on the referral program as both a patient as well as an official. Tofaeono “claimed he traveled to also recruit physicians,” the resolution says adding that it was confirmed by authorities of LBJ that Tofaeono had traveled three times on the referral program.

According to the resolution, Mase and Tofaeono were “unethical, deceitful and disrespectful when they appeared before the Senate, and their actions have been injurious and damaging to the integrity of the Senate.”

“The disregard for the Senate and the respect it commands finds senators with a lack of trust” in the abilities of Mase and Tofaeono to carry out their official duties as board members, the measure states.

“Their actions are tantamount to perjury and they should be immediately removed or made to be removed,” it says. Furthermore, their actions “have been injurious to the Senate and senators can no longer effectively or trustingly work” with these two board members.

Therefore, the Senate has asked the governor “to remove, or demand the resignation” of Mase and Tofaeono “for their disgraceful lies told to the Senate when testifying in an official hearing.”

This is the second Vote of No Confidence resolution unanimously approved by the Senate within the past couple of days. The first one was last week Thursday, dealing with ASG Employees Retirement Fund board of trustees member Sonny Thompson, whose nomination was submitted and confirmed last year by the Fono as a Fund member.

However, senators learned two weeks ago that Thompson was not a member at the time of his confirmation and only became a Fund member last month. The Senate has asked the governor for Thompson’s removal from the Retirement board. (See Samoa News edition of Aug. 4 for details.)

At yesterday’s Senate session, Soliai inquired with the Senate leadership if there had been any response from Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga pertaining to the Vote of No Confidence resolution on Thompson.

Senate ProTemp Nuanuaolefeagaiga Saoluaga, who presided over the session, responded that this is not an easy issue for the governor, and requested that the Senate be patient while awaiting an official reply from the governor.