A move by then director of the Department of Health, Motusa Tuileama Nua, last December to have an employee of PIHOA (Pacific Island Health Officers Association), Lamanda Ioane, work as ‘Executive Director’ for the local Community Health Centers (CHC) has left many DOH employees “unhappy.”

Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga has reappointed Motusa as DOH director for the next four years; and he is currently waiting his turn to be confirmed to the DOH post by the Fono.

Samoa News understands that Ioane was hired as a Lab Technician through PIHOA last year; and then in December of last year, Motusa sent out an email to his ‘Top’ people with CHC, with the label: ‘High Priority’, a copy of which Samoa News obtained.

In the email, Motusa stated, “In an effort to maintain command and control within CHC operations with direct line of supervision, communication to include disciplinary actions, Ms. Lamanda Ioane has been appointed as the Acting Executive Director effective immediately until Ms. Easter's return.”

Easter Bruce, the Executive Director, Ioane is substituting for, left off island not long after she was hired and has remained off island for the last six months, according to DOH employees. Samoa News understands Mrs. Bruce has a health issue for which she is currently undergoing treatment.

Motusa further stated, “All official reports and correspondences submitted to external agencies and this office will have Ms. Lamanda’s initial or stamp. All keys to the CHC compound and facilities will be turned over to Ms. Lamanda's office ASAP. Ms. Lamanda will work out of Easter's office with a multi telephone line with easy access to every office. She will be provided a stand-alone desktop computer and an assigned laptop from CHC.

“Please consider this email as your official notification until you receive a letter from my office,” Motusa concludes. He also urged the DOH employees to provide Ms. Lamanda with their usual support.

Samoa News reached out to the ASG Human Resources officials for confirmation if Ioane is an employee of the American Samoa Government; and there is no record on the DHR system of an employee named — Lamanda Ioane.

According to DOH employees, Ioane is an employee of PIHOA and it’s unclear why a contractor is overseeing the CHC.

Samoa News reached out to Ioane for a comment and she explained that PIHOA and DOH have a contract where if DOH is in need of assistance they hire their “employees” through PIHOA. “We are hired through PIHOA and we are here to help the department of health,” Ioane explained.

She further told Samoa News that her paperwork to transfer her employment from PIHOA to DOH is now underway, yet ASG DHR officials say they don’t have any record of this happening.

“I am here to help, without the PIHOA helping DOH, otherwise there’s no one qualified to take the work [sic],” Ioane said. 

ASG DHR officials told Samoa News that complaints have reached their office and they are looking into it.

Last week, Motusa, as DOH Acting Director made other personnel changes within the department, and he notified his ‘top’ people in DOH administration of the changes, once again through an email, and Samoa News obtained a copy.

According to the email, Assistant Executive Director, Elisapeta Ponousuia has been reassigned to oversee Manu’a operations. He noted in his email that he’s already discussed with Ponousuia that “she would be reassigned as ‘Zika Policy Writer’.”

According to the email, Motusa instructed Scott Anesi to look at the zika funding to “fund Peka's new position as Zika Policy writer. Peka's new position can be cost-shared with other zika grants, whichever would best fit such a position.”

He also demanded the “move to happen ASAP”.

Human Resources Acting Director, Eseneiaso Liu told Samoa News that they have not yet received any official correspondence from Motusa regarding this transfer. She noted it is prohibited for all Departments and Agencies to do Voluntary or Involuntary reassignments and transfers of employees, especially career services employees, within or between agencies without approval by the Human Resources director.

In 2014, former DHR Director Le’i Sonny Thompson said that under the American Samoa Administrative Code 4.0313(b) (1) &(2); reassignment is movement of a permanent employee from one position to another in the same or another class within the same agency with the prior approval of the director.

Transfer is defined as movement of a permanent employee from one position to another in the same or another class between agencies with the prior approval of the director.  All lateral movements of personnel must be approved by the Director, or in the case of the Judicial Branch, the Chief Justice. 

“Ignoring this warning will result in unnecessary time and effort trying to resolve employee grievances; cause disruptions in the workforce; create low morale; and most importantly, undermine employee dignity and rights. From an economic point of view it is counter productive and very much a liability the American Samoa Government can’t afford.”

The Acting Director said such violations must stop immediately, referring to Motusa’s demand for Ponousuia’s reassignment ASAP.

Efforts to contact Motusa for comments were unsuccessful at press time.