Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Nominee to head the Department of Commerce, Petti Tagipo Matila told house members yesterday during her confirmation hearing where she was confirmed 17-0, that public-private partnerships are the key to developing infrastructure.

During the hearing, Rep. Larry Sanitoa urged Matila to seriously look at the infrastructure problem in the Tualauta area, which is one of the main factors of the flooding problem for many years now. Sanitoa said that “it seems for the last two years nobody bas been really doing the work on trying to make sure that we have an oversight on this infrastructure problem.”

He said that “the big problem is that there is no management for drainage when building new infrastructure — but its actually in the law. He said that a lot of government buildings are not legally built because there was no permit from the PNRS committee.

Rep. Lua’itaua Gene Pan wanted to understand if funding from the CDBG program can be used for the problem of flooding and erosion in American Samoa. The Sua representative said that the territory has faced these problems for many years and nothing has been done.

Funding from the CDBG can be used — but only to address something that was impacted specifically by Cyclone Gita, the nominee said.

Lua’itaua said that many bridges in his district were destroyed by cyclone Gita and the government hasn’t done anything to address the problem. He wanted to know if there any revenue he can tag so that he can get these areas fixed for his district.

He stated that there are families who live on the other side of the river bank and when someone needs to be transported to the hospital by an ambulance, these families have to cross the river because EMS personnel can’t get to the other side because the bridge has been destroyed.

Rep. Avagafono Vaimaga Maiava wanted to know from the acting director of her plans for the improvement and training inside her department.

Matila informed committee members that there are things she is already planning in order for her department to reach their goal.

One of the goals is work force development where our young people are pushed to pursue better job training in certain areas such as technology; mechanics; engineering; science; art, etc.

The Department of Commerce Acting Director, Petti Tagipo Matila shakes hands with representatives after her confirmation hearing yesterday morning in the house chamber. [photo by AF]

BACKGROUND

Matila first worked for the U.S Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs in American Samoa as a Field Officer for 3 years before she moved to Washington DC and worked in the office of U.S Senator Daniel K. Inouye for two years.

After returning to the territory 15 years ago she worked at the Governor’s Office as the Community Planning and Development Program Coordinator under the Togiola and Faoa Administration in 2012 for 5 years. In 2017, she was   assigned to the Department of Commerce (DOC) and worked as the Special Assistant to the Director.

See other issues discussed in this hearing in today’s Samoa News.