The commerce department has hired former American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority chief executive officer Moefa'auo Bill Emmsley to work with Mike McDonald and Vui Robert Tuala, on implementation of economic development initiatives for the territory.

Samoa News received word early last week that Emmsley has been selected to "review" the shipyard operations to determine its "financial viability" as a government owned operation. When asked for comments, shipyard board chairman David Robinson told Samoa News last Thursday that the shipyard has not hired Moefa’auo and referred questions to the Department of Commerce director Keniseli Lafaele.

Responding to questions, Lafaele said over the weekend that Moefa’auo is being hired as a senior project advisor, joining McDonald and Tuala in giving the DOC research based assessment and advice, and assisting with the implementation of economic development plan initiatives included in the American Samoa Economic Development Implementation Plan (EDIP).

The EDIP was designed as a strategic guide to help American Samoa generate jobs, retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth for the next decade.

One of the many economic development initiatives listed in the plan is that the shipyard needs an overhaul to maintain commercial fishing vessel needs, as well as to expand commercial and passenger operations through additional dock space.

Prior to considering privatization, the infrastructure needs of the shipyard will need to be addressed by the American Samoa Government, according to the EDIP draft released in June this year and currently being finalized by DOC before being sent to the governor and the Fono.

“The shipyard is key to the economic development of American Samoa, as it provides vital repair services to the fishing boat fleets servicing the two fish processing plants in the territory, and the two fishery plants are the backbone of our economy,” Lafaele told Samoa News.

“Our harbor or port is our most important government asset and the shipyard is an important part of this asset,” he said, adding that DOC is being tasked with taking a concerted and comprehensive look at the shipyard and advise the governor accordingly.

Basically, they are to determine the shipyard's point A (current status) — its finances, goals and objectives, work force, plant and equipment, and customer base; and point B, which is where the shipyard purports to, or should get to, or what it purports to or should achieve, he said.

“This exercise would yield policy implications upon which decision maker(s) decide whether to keep the shipyard a public enterprise and improve on it; privatize the shipyard; or render it a public/ private partnership (PPP),” he said.

According to the DOC director, Moefa'auo is well schooled, work experienced and qualified to lead this exercise, with McDonald and Tuala assisting.

BACKGROUND

As previously reported by Samoa News, the ASTCA board in August terminated Moefaauo’s month-to-month basis contract, and the following day Moefa’auo submitted to the board his letter of resignation. The ASTCA board did not accept his letter of resignation at the time, preferring to keep their ‘termination’ notice in affect. (See Samoa News edition Aug. 18 for more details).

However, it is unknown if the board later accepted Moefa’auo’s resignation, as the chairman of the ASTCA Board, Roy Hall no longer allows media access to its board meeting minutes, since August 2014.

In September 2014, Samoa News, per usual formality, asked Hall for a copy of minutes from the last board meeting, to which he responded via email that “the board will consider adopting a policy for “public inspection” and nothing will be released, until the minutes have been duly adopted by the Board and a policy has been adopted.”

Samoa News notes prior to media reporting about Moefa’auo’s termination versus resignation from ASTCA, the Minutes of the Board meetings were given to the media. Interestingly, among the run-ins the former CEO had with the ASTCA board members was Mike McDonald’s 6-month contract with ASTCA, which was around $70,000+.

Mike McDonald was the general manager of the now defunct Native Hawaiian Holding Company (NHHC)/ Community Investment Corporation (CIC), which signed a contract with the government in 2011 to provide training and employment in the contact center industry for 900 NEG participants and authorized it to operate job placement and supportive services in a setting that would serve as part of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Workforce System which was overseen by Human Resources.

Following an audit by the Federal Audit Report (FAR) where financial statements and monthly reports disclosed unallowable costs of $2.53million, USDOL is asking for repayment.

The American Samoa Government has since filed a lawsuit against the NHHC for close to $4million, on allegations of fraud, failure to pay taxes, compensatory damages, exemplary punitive damages, and unjust enrichment. The 41-page lawsuit was filed in April this year, with the High Court.