Country Programs - Samoa

PLP began work in Samoa in September 2008 and a number of important relationships have been developed since that time. The Samoa Chamber of Commerce is an important partner for PLP in Samoa, and is an active member of PLP’s private sector leadership development work at the regional level. PLP has been working with the Division of Youth over a long period of time on the development of a National Youth Council, and this work continues. Most recently, the Samoan alumni group of the Emerging Pacific Leaders Dialogue (EPLD) program has formed Leadership Samoa, which PLP will be supporting in 2011.

The creation of opportunities for intra-Pacific learning is an important part of PLP’s program, and activity in Samoa so far is an example of this at work. PLP met the Samoa Chamber of Commerce through PIPSO, and the Samoa Chamber participates actively in the PIPSO network. The Samoa Chamber also participates in PLP’s regional activities on public/private dialogue and other leadership development issues.

The Pacific Youth Council has come to Samoa with PLP to meet with the Division of Youth to discuss the establishment of the Samoa national youth council, and plans are underway for the Vanuatu national youth council to also provide some support to Samoa. And finally, PLP is supporting the Leadership Samoa group to bring in some guidance and advice from the other Leadership development programs which have been inexistence for some time, such as Leadership Fiji and Leadership PNG. All of these networks benefit from having Samoan organisations participating in the exchange of knowledge and lessons learned.

The Samoa program is guided and advised in Samoa by the Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, the Minister for Women, Community and Social Development. Fiame is the PLP Advisory Panel member for Samoa. Under her guidance, we will be establishing a National Leadership Development Forum in Samoa in 2011. This will be a cross-sectoral group of leaders that will come together to discuss key leadership issues in Samoa, and provide direction to PLP on appropriate programming for Samoa. Preliminary discussion in 2010 has identified the issue of the conflict between traditional governance systems, and Constitution based decision making in the Courts as a key leadership issue in Samoa. We are looking forward to the development of the NLDF in 2011.
 

Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Chamber is Samoa’s National Private Sector Organisation. It is an incorporated association of businesses, private sector organisations and business people representing all areas of Samoa’s private sector. Chamber’s purpose, as provided in its Constitution, is to “act as Samoa’s National Private Sector Organisation that will promote the interests, well-being and growth of Samoa’s private sector at the national, regional and international levels to improve the economic and social well being of the people of Samoa.”
PLP first began discussion with the Chamber in September 2008. The PLP was introduced to the Chamber by the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO). On PLP’s first visit to Samoa and the Chamber, it became very clear that the Chamber plays a strong leadership role in representing the private sector to government on the development of policy. It also nurtures young businesses and business leaders. For these reasons, the Chamber was a logical partner for the PLP. The Chamber also has a strong and committed Executive Council which is focused on opportunities for the Chamber to grow, expand, and increase its contribution to the economic development of Samoa.

After positive initial discussions, the PLP and the Chamber agreed to begin a process of partnership exploration. The Partnership Agreement was signed in June 2009, and the partnership has since gone from strength to strength. The Chamber has re-written their Constitution to allow them to act as the National Private Sector Organisation. They have developed a strong five year strategic plan, and developed their capacity to offer services to members, and to provide evidence-based arguments for policy development. A number of the members of the Chamber Executive also provide informal guidance and advice to PLP on the broader work in Samoa.

Samoa Division for Youth

PLP has provided an initial small grant to the Youth Division of the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development in Samoa. This grant was used to commission a report on possible options for the establishment of a Samoa National Youth Council. The Division for Youth has had the establishment of this Council on its work plan for some time. PLP will continue to provide support towards the establishment of the Samoa National Youth Council, and will hopefully work on a Partnership Agreement with the Council once it is established.