American Samoa
Financial Management Practices Gao ID: T-NSIAD-92-30 May 19, 1992This testimony focuses on problems with American Samoa's financial management practices and the Department of the Interior's oversight of the financial assistance provided to the territory. While Interior has been encouraging the economic self-sufficiency of the territory for more than 40 years, serious and persistent financial management problems have hampered this goal. GAO discusses (1) the financial conditions during the last decade that led to American Samoa's current General Fund deficit, (2) issues affecting the amount and collections of local revenues, (3) the government's financial management practices for selected high-cost areas, and (4) the adequacy of Interior's oversight.