Samoa Tourism Board says CEO should be given just a warning

The Samoa Tourism Board says the chief executive of the Samoa Tourism Authority, Fa'amatuainu Lenata'i Suifua, should be given a warning and allowed to return to work.

Fa'amatuainu was placed on leave in February this year, pending an investigation by the Board following complaints by current and former staff at the Authority.

He has been accused of misconduct, and of fraudulently taking government materials for use at his residences.

Fa'amatuainu has denied the claims.

The Board says there is insufficient evidence to warrant the dismissal of the chief executive, and they agreed he should be issued a "warning" and allowed to return to work.

Separately, in March, Fa'amatuainu was criminally charged for using insulting words, following a criminal complaint by an STA staffer over an incident last December.