Washington, D.C. — The US Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General (DOI-OIG) has found that the Office of Insular Affairs (DOI-OIG took “prompt and immediate action in its allocation” of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to Insular Area government.

This is according to DOI-OIG’s findings in a June 25th report after a review of OIA’s oversight of the CARES Act funds to the insular area governments of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, Federated State of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.

The 5-page summary report issued as a “snapshot” of OIA funds, didn’t mention Puerto Rico and that was an issue raised by some online news outlets based in that territory.

According to the report’s summary, the U.S. Congress — through provisions of CARES Act —  appropriated $55 million for the OIA to distribute among the seven Insular Area governments to assist them in their preparation for, response to, and prevention measures for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Less than two weeks after the passage of the CARES Act in late March, DOI-OIG said the OIA supplemented its official website with information on the CARES Act funding, developed a fair allocation method and made funds available to Insular Area governments for immediate action, and provided clear guidance to the Insular Area governments.

The report states that $41.25 million of the $55 million was allocated to the insular area governments based on their population as of May 2020. Based on its population of 55,641, American Samoa was allocated just over $4.07 million. (Samoa News notes that was also the same amount announced at the time by DOI-OIA in COVID-19 press releases as well as statements from Congresswoman Aumua Amata)

The report provided how much each insular area governments received with Guam getting the highest amount of over $12 million with a population of 164,229. Details of the “snapshot” report are available on the www.doioig.gov website.