An American Samoa senator has accused fellow lawmakers in the House of Representatives of showing no respect towards ranking traditional leaders.
Senator Tuanaitau Tuia says he is surprised that the House of Representatives has insisted that they hold their own budget hearings next month, instead of the usual practice of joint Fono budget hearings.
Tuanaitau said the House members have shown a lack of respect to the Senate members, who are ranking traditional leaders of the territory.
However the Senate President Lolo Moliga says that House continues to conduct their own budget hearings, so therefore the Senate will do the same.
Lolo said the Senate's goal was to make these hearings easy for everyone including witnesses from the government who will be called to testify.
