PC Tufele Li’amatua confirmed as newest LBJ board member
Manu’a District Governor, Paramount Chief Tufele Li’amatua was confirmed with a 14-2 Senate vote as a new member of the LBJ Medical Center’s board of directors.
(Under local law, LBJ board members need only be confirmed by the Fono’s upper chamber).
During the announcement of Tufele’s appointment, Governor Togiola Tulafono said that Tufele will fill the required position of an “at large member” on the board.
At his confirmation hearing yesterday, Tufele told senators that he believes the board’s sole responsibility is to set policies, procedures, and regulations that management can follow.
Tufele is the current District Governor for the Manu’a Islands and, at one point, served as the Lt. Governor of American Samoa. He comes with extensive years of service and a long list of government service stints on his resume, including his tenure as police commissioner and chairman of the Future Political Status Study Commission.
With his confirmation, Tufele will now join LBJ board chairman Moananu Va, former chairman Charles Warren, and Department of Commerce deputy director Lelei Peau on the hospital board.
Board member Dr. Fred Uhrle is believed to be stepping down from his position soon, and Governor Togiola said he is considering an appointment to fill the vacancy that will be created by Dr. Uhrle’s departure from the board.
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