20 Mar 2014

American Samoa's Mauga keen to use surplus revenues for youth programme

12:45 pm on 20 March 2014

American Samoa's acting governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga is seeking approval from the Fono to use surplus revenues from last year for the summer youth employment program.

According to the acting governor the last fiscal year closed out with a surplus of revenues over expenditures of approximately $US215,000.

He told Fono leaders the administration has given careful consideration of how to best utilize these funds, and has concluded the best use would be to invest in the future of young people.

The administration is proposing a supplemental appropriation of $US200,000 to supplement the annual Work Investment Act funding in order to hire more youth for the Summer Youth employment program.

The program combines classroom and on the job learning for high school and college students giving them experience in different fields.

The students are placed in both government departments and businesses.

Last year 500 young men and women participated, and earned minimum wages.