Assistant Chief Executive Officers reinstated

Two suspended Assistant Chief Executive Officers of the Office of the Regulator have been reinstated by the Government, on the same day it was announced the Regulator has voluntarily resigned. 

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i, told the Samoa Observer that the Cabinet has reinstated Fa’alelei Su’a and Venus Iosefa-Salanoa and they will return to work next Tuesday. 

“We will meet with them later on today and they will resume work next week Tuesday," he said. The Minister declined to give details on the outcome of the Cabinet decision to reinstate the two suspended Assistant Chief Executive Officers and accept the voluntary resignation of the Regulator, Lefaoalii Auelua-Fonoti.

“I can’t comment right now, maybe there will be a press release by Cabinet and also I am in a meeting,” he added.

Lefaoalii made her exit after the Cabinet accepted her resignation on Wednesday.

The suspension of the two Assistant Chief Executive Officers came after a complaint was lodged by the Regulator’s secretary, Fialupe Fuimaono Uelese, in a seven-page letter written in Samoan that contained allegations of mistreatment and abuse against the Regulator. 

The complaint was officially filed with the Public Service Commission on May 15 last year. An investigation by the Commission later recommended that the Regulator be sacked, in light of alleged  impropriety within administration, which included the misuse of public funds and resources.