If the chairman of the 2022 Constitutional Convention Tuaolo Manaia Fruean gets his wish, the 129 delegates will receive stipends of $5,000 each.
After the adoption of rules and election of officers, which took the whole morning yesterday, Tuaolo gave his thanks to the assembly for electing him as chairman.
Then, directing his comments to the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Loa Tuimavave Tauapai Laupola and Director of the ConCon Office, Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga, Tuaolo said that this is what the chairman and officers want:
“For each delegate to be paid a stipend of $1000 per day. For five days that would use up $645,000.”
Tuaolo pointed out that $1.3 million was budgeted for the constitutional convention and if there’s not enough funding, a supplemental budget can be submitted when the budget hearings begin next week.
The Mauputasi delegate went on to say that the last constitutional convention was held in 2010, and no one knows if this would be the last time that some of the fathers of the territory will take part in the task of reviewing the constitution.
“Money is not important,” he declared, adding that “we can find money but the lives of the fathers of the territory cannot be replaced when they are gone.”
He thanked Governor Lemanu for his decision to convene the ConCon and reiterated that he wanted the delegates to receive checks of $5,000 on Friday, which is when the convention ends.
The chairman also suggested that there be no lunches served to delegates. He said, since their per diems will be increased, the delegates can have lunch at the restaurant of their choice. “We should only serve coffee and water,” he said.
