In the past few weeks, we have seen bills through Fono asking for pay increases for Department Directors, Fono members allowances, and now Governor and Lt. Governor salary.

Meanwhile, since Governor Lolo took office there has been a freeze on wage increments with the constant reminder to the island people that there are no monies available for such increases to the workforce pay.

Yet the public is grappling with the insane reality of the low minimum wage and sky high cost of living.

Nevertheless, our top decision makers are adamant about these hikes and have decided even to reallocate money from other Departments/Special Projects in order to pay up. Deliberately, drilling a hole into the other areas of the government where there is much needed money, work, intervention, good management, ingenuity, creativity, etc. Such areas like the Visitor’s Bureau which is the one area we need money in order to generate a cogent and vibrant Tourism Industry; An area where we can find some form of dependency from Uncle Sam if developed properly.

Basically, our government leaders are agreeing to put more money into their own pockets while the workforce who by the way does 99.9% of government’s job are getting nothing. Additionally, they want to reallocate monies from other projects to cover their increase in spending on themselves which will not yield anything for the public.

Let us STOP this greed and this gross mismanagement of funds and public trust by demanding the government leaders to cease and desist and put the people first.