The American Samoa government has lifted a freeze on annual salary increments that it imposed five years ago.
Governor Lolo Maliga said the 2013 measure was put in place to show the government's commitment to fiscal prudence.
He said it had succeeded in keeping costs down.
But with the lifting of the suspension the governor has told his cabinet directors not to relax their prudent management, to make decisions on a case by case basis or if the quality of work has improved appreciably.