Togiola creates enterprise fund to maintain
newly refurbished Fale Laumei

Through an executive order issued by Governor Togiola Tulafono on October 4, 2007, an enterprise fund has been created to fund the maintenance and operations of the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium - more commonly known as the Fale Laumei.

The Fale Laumei is overseen by the Sports Complex Office which is under the umbrella of the Governor’s Office.

The Lee Auditorium recently underwent a major facelift that cost millions and saw the installation of more modern amenities like state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems.

Money deposited into the enterprise fund will come from collections of rental fees imposed for the use of the Lee Auditorium.

According to the Governor’s executive order, it is in the best interest of the American Samoa Government to charge user fees to agencies and other entities wishing to use the auditorium, in order to fund the building’s operations and maintenance.

This, according to the Governor, will ensure that the auditorium is self-sustaining, enabling it to last well into the future.

Those held responsible for ensuring that the establishment of the Fund is in accordance with statutes and regulations governing such funds with the ASG are: the ASG Treasurer, Attorney General, and the directors of the Department of Commerce, and the Planning and Budget Office.

The executive order says that the named ASG officials “shall plan, develop, implement, and enforce standard policies and procedures that shall govern operation of the Fund, and may from time to time recommend changes to said policies and procedures.”

Revenues generated and expended from the Fund shall be for the continued maintenance and operation of the Fale Laumei under the supervision of the DOC director, and all such financial activity shall be duly recorded and reconciled with the Treasurer in accordance with the laws and regulations of the American Samoa Government.

The DOC director is to submit a written report at the end of each fiscal quarter to the Governor updating the status of the fund and the operations of the auditorium, to include information on the number of entities, both government and non-governmental, that have used the auditorium and the type of activity held.

Since its federally funded renovation was completed, the Lee Auditorium has been used as the venue for big events such as the US Coral Reef Task Force Meeting and the Miss American Samoa pageant which was held last weekend to conclude this year’s Mosooi Festival celebration.