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Lolo wants a report of all ‘challenges’ in government

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Says the information will benefit the “new incoming administration”
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Lolo Administration will prepare a complete report which lists - among other things - challenges in the government moving forward, and it will be presented to the incoming administration after the Nov. 2020 general election.

Speaking during last week’s cabinet meeting, the governor said the report covers the period from “now until June 2020” and will be released thereafter. “The report identifies what needs improvements in government,” he said. “I know every department, every office, has some challenges going forward. What we need to find out is - what are these challenges that we can improve so our government will be better [prepared] going forward?”

He said the importance of the report is so the “new incoming administration” has a better knowledge of the affairs of the government when taking over.

Lolo said he doesn't want the incoming governor “to face” the “same problem” the current administration faced when they took office in 2013, in which the administration didn’t know where the challenges and problems stood at the time and only started to discover them after being in office. “We need recommendations of what needs to improve included in the report,” he said, and stressed that the report should address all issues cabinet directors believe should be addressed and resolved in government.

“Even the decision making process of government, if you feel the administration lacks sufficient connection and communication with directors, outline it in your report,” Lolo said.

This is one of two reports Lolo spoke about at the cabinet meeting. The first one was due last Thursday before the close of business, outlining all the accomplishments and achievements since the Lolo Administration took office 7 years ago.

Lolo said these annual reports “register accomplishments of our administration” since taking office in 2013. He said the reason for this report - and what’s to be in it - has been explained several times. He said it’s the director’s responsibility to capture all the accomplishments in their department’s report.

The governor reminded cabinet members that part of their reports will be included in his annual State of the Territory Address that will be delivered during the opening of the Fono on Jan. 13, 2020. It will also be part of the government’s separate detailed report to the Fono, the US Department of Interior, and the media.

He identified several agencies  - such as Treasury and Legal Affairs - whose reports are still missing and require submission. Another agency missing a report, is the ASG Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review, and Federal Relations, which is headed by Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga, who was told by Lolo that it’s very important to have the report outline the political status of the territory, going forward.

The governor’s executive assistant, Iulogologo Joseph Pereira, is leading an ASG group in Honolulu to work on compiling the final report to be presented to the Fono next month.