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Going up: FY 2020 sees a 2% increase in the ASG workforce

Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga
Lolo claims 5 out of 6 years of his admin, ASG ended in the ‘black’
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Government’s workforce for fiscal year 2020 totals 6,843 — a 2% increase — compared to the 6,703 in FY 2019, according to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga in his FY 2020 cover letter to Fono leaders.

“This reflects an overall net increase of 140 positions,” said Lolo, who attributed the hike to federal programs — “specifically” — new jobs following last year’s Tropical Storm Gita.

Of the total workforce, 4,825 are career service employees (compared to 4,986 in FY 2019); and 2,017 are contractors (compared to 1,716 in FY 2019), according to data included in the governor’s letter.

Just over 2,482 are paid by local funds; 2,520 by federal funds; and 1,840 under the Enterprise Fund.

Federal funds pay for 1,619 in career service — compared to 1,541 in FY 2019 — and about 900 for contract employees — compared to 815 in FY 2019.

Samoa News notes that one of the issues several lawmakers plan to raise with senior ASG officials during yet-to-be scheduled budget hearings, has to do with annual increments for ASG employees.

While Lolo last October lifted the freeze on annual increments, some government employees have complained to their lawmakers of not getting increments.

SUMMARY OF FY 2020

In his cover letter, the governor informed Fono leaders that “we are continuing to take bold steps to advance our collective commitment to prudent fiscal management and responsible stewards of our people’s money.”

“Recognizing the impact of inflation coupled with steady population growth,” Lolo tells lawmakers, “We have taken measures to expand our revenue pool by recommending economically sound revenue generating alternatives with minimum adverse backlash on our efforts to grow our economy.”

And in spite of challenges faced together, “we have been successful because of our collective commitment to financial prudence and responsible fiscal management,” he said.

In the last 7 years since “we assumed leadership of our government, we took bold steps towards achieving this vision; five out of six operating years ending in the black,” he reminded Fono leaders. “Our deficit fund balance has been eliminated at the close of fiscal year 2018.”

“This is a significant accomplishment that we have attainted together,” he wrote.

Lolo thanked Fono leaders for “your continued confidence and support of our planned strategies aimed to ensure that our people’s needs are being met despite financial limitations.”

The FY 2020 budget was introduced Wednesday in both the Senate and House and the Fono budget committee leaders are currently working on the usual budget hearings schedule.

The FY 2020 budget must be approved and signed into law before midnight of Oct. 1, 2019 - which is the start of the new fiscal year.