Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Lemanu and Talauega administration has rejected a request by the hospital CEO to “divert funding” for the new $21 million hospital to upgrade the current hospital.

This was confirmed by Chief of Staff Loa Tauapa’i Laupola in response to questions from Samoa News.

Loa however did not comment on the status of the lease dispute regarding the government land where the new hospital is to be located.

Last month, LBJ hospital Chief Executive Officer Moefa’auo Bill Emmsley confirmed with Samoa News the construction of the new 40-bed hospital to be built in an area across from Lions Park is on hold due to a lease dispute in the area.

The CEO also had hopes that the governor would “consider” diverting the funding for the new hospital to renovate the current LBJ facility.

 “The Governor's guidance on the new hospital has not changed,” said Loa in a follow-up email to Samoa News.

As reported earlier by Samoa News, $50 million of the $300 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act is allocated for recruitment, retention, and retraining of staff at LBJ and the proposed new 40-bed facility in Tafuna.

 “Funding to cover these costs is essential to attracting and retaining qualified staff to make the healthcare system in American Samoa viable and effective,” LBJ said in its ARPA funding documents released by the ASG ARPA Oversight Office.

These activities will address major hurdles associated with recruiting staff, retaining staff, staff benefits, continuing education/training, housing, and salaries.”

According to the CEO, when he came on board the decision had already been made to build a new 40-bed hospital.

 “I did my own assessment on the reports and the conclusion I came up with was that the funding would be well spent if invested into renovating the current hospital.

“The LBJ hospital needs to be upgraded, in terms of infrastructure, facilities, medical equipment and more importantly physicians and nurses, where we are very much in need.

 “This may be a blessing in disguise for us to reconsider the current plans and allocate this funding to upgrade our only hospital” referring to the disputed lease.

“However the issue is moot as the Governor has already made up his mind,” said Moefa’auo.

Asked whether he voiced his concerns to the Governor, the CEO said yes.

“I’ve already made known to [Governor] my professional views on this issue and I will go and see him again given that new developments of the lease issue at hand.

“We cannot issue the tender to the winning bidder given the government land in question is being disputed,” said Moefaauo.

BACKGROUND

The CEO said there is a dispute with a company that has an existing lease on the specific lot on which the proposed new hospital would be built.

 “I understand the BlackHawk Company is taking legal action against the government over this land.

 “As you know we cannot move on with this project when the land in question is being disputed,” said Moefaauo.

The CEO also cited a study conducted by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District in 2019 outlining recommendations to renovate the hospital, not build a new hospital.

The company that won the bid for the new hospital is Honolulu based, AHL formerly known as Architects Hawaii Limited, a full service firm specializing in architecture, master planning, interior design, and sustainability.