Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — With recent photos in the media of clearly labeled ASG vehicles illegally parked in marked handicap parking spots, the Governor’s acting chief of staff Jason Mitchell issued a memorandum to directors, reminding them of their duty to public accountability.

Samoa News has published several photos shared by local residents — many of them critical of the government — of ASG vehicles parked in handicapped parking stalls without proper authorization — a placard indicating the vehicle is authorized to park in such a stall with a valid date denoted.

 Members of the public were critical of the Administration, cabinet directors and ASG for such clear violations of both federal and local laws, without any actions taken by the authorities. Other such photos were posted and shared on social media and Samoa News points out that such incidents have also occurred in past years and under past administrations.

“In recent months, we have seen pictures in the media of government vehicles in handicapped parking spots without having handicapped tags hanging from their mirrors,” Mitchell — who is the Governor’s Chief Legal Counsel — informed cabinet members in a May 25th memo.

“We need to be better than that. We must comply with the letter and the spirit of the law as we conduct our business,” he said and noted that he expects directors to handle these matters administratively. “Additionally, I have encouraged the Office of Protection and Advocacy for the Disabled to enforce the handicapped parking law without regard to government vehicles.”

Mitchell noted that many ASG employees operate government-owned or leased vehicles to do their jobs. And those vehicles are marked with government license plates to make it clear who is in those vehicles. “Those tags are placed on vehicles to keep us accountable,” he said.

Mitchell acknowledged the thousands of employees who drive government vehicles in a lawful manner and thanked them. He also said that the memo serves as a “reminder to all of us that we are in the public eye, and that we have to conduct ourselves accordingly.”

As ASG employees, “we must recognize that we are here to serve the people of American Samoa. Part of that service includes complying with the laws of American Samoa,” said Mitchell, who is serving in the acting post while the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola, has traveled off island for business on May 12.