21 Mar 2012

American Samoa workforce to increase

10:37 am on 21 March 2012

The American Samoa Government workforce will increase by 200 when temporary workers under the Federal funded National Emergency Grant Programme are hired permanently.

According to the governor 900 of the Grant Programme participants were employed for 90 days and about 200 will now be retained by government departments.

The Governor Togiola Tulafono says many government departments wish to hire them permanently because they have proven to be dependable and good employees.

Togiola says the Public Works department, which has many vacancies and will be retaining workers under the Programme for six more months with the hope funding will be secure in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget to hire them permanently.

He says it is unclear how the 200 employees will be absorbed by the Fiscal Year 2012 budget as their jobs have not been included in the approved spending plan.