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STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAMOA 2012–2016
„boosting productivity for sustainable development‟
There is no restriction on the quotation or reproduction of any part of this publication, provided that the source is acknowledged
Ministry of Finance Economic Policy and Planning Division Private Mail Bag Apia SAMOA Tel: 34-333 Fax: 21-312 E-Mail:
[email protected] JULY 2012
MAP OF SAMOA
BASIC INFORMATION ON SAMOA Government: Parliamentary democracy with a unicameral legislative assembly consisting of 49 members (chiefly titleholders) elected by citizens aged 21 years and over, and 2 of whom represent the part ─ and non ─ Samoan population. The Prime Minister selects 12 other parliamentarians to form a Cabinet. General elections are held every five years. The Human Rights Protection Party has been in power for an uninterrupted 25 years. The 1990 Village Fono Act gives village councils authority over village law and order, health and social issues. Constitution: Established in 1960, blends traditional and democratic institutions and processes and recognizes the separation of powers (legislature, judiciary and executive). Legal system: Samoa has a Westminster legal system based on the English legal system as adopted by many of the Commonwealth countries. It is also a Parliamentary democracy where its Parliament is elected through universal suffrage every five years and a Prime Minister and Cabinet manage the day to day affairs of the country. Official languages: Samoan and English. Judiciary: Samoa‟s court system consists of two District courts and a Supreme Court manned by five local judges, and an Appeal Court that sits once a year and is overseen by overseas judges. There is a separate Land and Titles Court that deals with matters relating to customary land ownership and „matai‟ (chief) titles. Land area: 2,820 km2 on the two main islands of Upolu and Savai‟i and seven small islands; 43% arable land. Exclusive Economic Zone: smallest in the Pacific at 98,500 km2. Population (2011): 186,340; 76% in Upolu; 20% in the urban area of the capital city, Apia. Gross Domestic Product (2011): SAT$1,546.5 million; US$505.8 million. GDP composition (2011): primary sector 10%; secondary sector 22%; tertiary sector 68%. GDP per capita (2011): SAT$8,299; US$2,714. Remittances (2000-2011 average): about 18.2% of GDP.
Human Development Index (2011): 0.688, placing Samoa 99th out of 187 countries, in the medium human development group.
MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF FINANCE
I have great pleasure in presenting the Strategy for the Development of Samoa (SDS) for the period 2012–2016. This is the seventh publication in the SDS series and the second to take a four year timeframe that is aligned to the fiscal year.
This document presents the key development strategies and priority sectors for the development of Samoa in the next four years. Drawing on the review of the 2008-2012 SDS and views expressed during the stakeholder consultations, the 2012-16 SDS will take a dedicated focus at strengthening economic resilience through increasing investment in the productive sectors of the economy. Dedicated interventions will be directed at the agricultural sector to raise domestic production to meet food security needs and boost export capacity. Attention will also focus on the manufacturing sector to transform viable agricultural products to higher value added processing for the export market as well as encouraging investments in import substitution businesses. That is the rationale behind the theme “Boosting Productivity for Sustainable Development”. The vision continues the longer term goal of achieving “Improved Quality of Life for All”. In pursuit of the long term goal, focus will also be geared towards achieving a number of key strategic outcomes. These include maintaining macroeconomic stability; scaled-up investment in tourism to promote Samoa as an attractive tourist destination; promoting a healthy and an educated Samoa; improved business environment; strengthening social cohesion and stability; improved infrastructural services; and recognising the importance of the environment through sustainable management of natural resources, increased investment in renewable energy sources, and mainstreaming climate change and disaster resilience. Within each strategic outcome, key performance indicators are clearly stated to monitor implementation. This is critical as it provides implementing agencies a clear measure of what they set out to achieve. It also makes the evaluation and review process a lot simpler. I believe that achieving these strategic outcomes will result in the attainment of Samoa‟s Millennium Development Goals (MDG‟s) and targets. The preparation of this document involved extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. Consultations were carried out in both Savaii and Upolu with the church leaders, sui o le Malo, women‟s committees, farmers and fishermen, non-government organisations, youth, tourism industry, education and health stakeholders, the business community as well as within government. These consultation meetings demonstrate government‟s commitment to embracing the views of all stakeholders in the formulation of national development strategies that will guide the development of Samoa in the next four years. In line with best practice, the review of the 2008-2012 SDS is provided as part of the document. The review highlights a sound economic and social progress against a challenging period with the 2008 global financial crisis and the devastating 2009 tsunami. This is a development agenda for the government, national stakeholders and our development partners. No doubt we will face uncertainty and difficulties in the implementation of this plan. But with the roadmap provided in the document, we should be able to navigate this agenda with a greater degree of confidence. I therefore commend this document to all national stakeholders and development partners. I have no doubt that its successful implementation will raise the quality of life of every Samoan.
(Hon. Faumuinā Tiatia Faaolatane Liuga) MINISTER OF FINANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS viii SECTION 1: STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAMOA 2012-2016 1 THE VISION 2 SECTION 2: KEY OUTCOMES AND STRATEGIES 2012-2016 3 PRIORITY AREA 1: ECONOMIC SECTOR 4 Key Outcome 1: Macroeconomic Stability 4 Key Outcome 2: Re-invigorate Agriculture 5 Key Outcome 3: Revitalized Exports 6 Key Outcome 4: Sustainable Tourism 7 Key Outcome 5: Enabling Environment for Business Development 8 PRIORITY AREA 2: SOCIAL POLICIES 10 Key Outcome 6: Healthy Samoa 10 Key Outcome 7: Improve Focus on Access to Education, Training and Learning Outcome 11 Key Outcome 8: Social Cohesion 12 8.1 A Safe and Stable Samoa 12 8.2 Community Development 14 PRIORITY AREA 3: INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR 14 Key Outcome 9: Sustainable Access to Safe Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation 14 Key Outcome 10: Efficient, Safe and Sustainable Transport System and Networks 15 Key Outcome 11: Universal Access to Reliable and Affordable ICT Services 16 Key Outcome 12: Sustainable Energy Supply 17 PRIORITY AREA 4: THE ENVIRONMENT 18 Key Outcome 13: Environment Sustainability 18 Key Outcome 14: Climate and Disaster Resilience 20 MONITORING AND EVALUATION 22 SECTION 3: A REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES OF STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAMOA, 2008-2012: ENSURING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS 43 PREFACE 44 Goal 1: Sustained Macroeconomic Stability 44 Goal 2: Private Sector Led Economic Growth and Employment Creation 45 Economic Infrastructure 46 Energy 46
Water and Sanitation Services 47 Telecommunications 47 Transport 48 Business Legal and Regulatory Environment 48 Financial Sector Development 49 Trade Policy 49 Development Potential 50 Key Sectors 50 Tourism 50 Agriculture 51 Fisheries 52 Commerce and Manufacturing 52 Sports Development 52 Goal 3: Improved Education Outcomes 52 Goal 4: Improve Health Outcomes 55 Goal 5: Community Development: Improve Economic and Social Wellbeing and Improve Village Governance 55 Goal 6: Improved Governance 56 Public administration 56 Public Finance Management 57 State-Owned Enterprise Reform 57 Statistical Development 57 Law and Justice 58 Goal 7: Environmental Sustainability and Disaster Risk Reduction 58
Appendix 1 61
ACRONYMS ACP - African, Caribbean and Pacific ASC - Agriculture Store Corporation ASP - Agriculture Sector Plan ASH - America Samoa Hawaii ADB - Asian Development Bank AGO - Attorney General‟s Office APTC - Australia and Pacific Technical College BSS - Bachelor of Samoan Studies BMS - Border Management System CBS - Central Bank of Samoa CSS - Centre for Samoan Studies CSSP - Civil Society Support Program CCA - Climate Change Adaptation CPEIR - Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review CBFMP - Community-Based Fisheries Management Program CSL - Computer Service Limited CEDAW - Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women CRC - Convention on the Right of the Child CLAC - Customary Land Advisory Commission DBS - Development Bank of Samoa DTIS - Diagnostic Trade Integration Study DMO - Disaster Management Office DRM - Disaster Risk Management DRR - Disaster Risk Reduction ECE - Early Childhood Education EPA - Economic Partnership Agreement EPC - Electric Power Corporation EDMS - Electronic Document Management System ECU - Emergency Communication Unit EIB - European Investment Bank EU - European Union GEF - Global Environment Facility GDP - Gross Domestic Product IWSA - Independent Water Scheme Association ICT - Information, Communication and Technology IT - Information Technology ISP - Institutional Strengthening Program IANZ - International Accreditation New Zealand IFC - International Finance Corporation ILO - International Labour Organization IMO - International Maritime Organization IOS - International Organization for Standardization LTA - Land Transport Authority LRC - Law Reform Commission LDC - Least Developed Country MPAs - Marine Protected Areas MSME - Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises MSS - Minimum Service Standards MAF - Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries MCIL - Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour MESC - Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture
MOF - Ministry of Finance MOH - Ministry of Health MJCA - Ministry of Justice, Courts and Administration MNRE - Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment MPP - Ministry of Police and Prison MPMC - Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet MfR - Ministry for Revenue MWCSD - Ministry of Women Community and Social development MWTI - Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure NAPA - National Adaptation Program of Action NBSAP - National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NEOC - National Emergency Operations Centre NECC - National Energy Coordinating Committee NES - National Export Strategy NEA - National Export Agency NHS - National Health Services NISP - National Infrastructure Strategic Plan NISS - National Invasive Species Strategy NUS - National University of Samoa NWP - Neighbourhood Watch Programme NZ - New Zealand NCD - Non Communicable Diseases NGO - Non Government Organization OOTR - Office of the Regulator PACER - Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations PICTA - Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement PRTI - Pacific, Regional Tourism Initiative PSSC - Pacific Senior School Certificate PE - Physical Education PSET - Post-Secondary Education Training PSSF - Private Sector Support Facility PASP - Public Administration Sector Plan PEFA - Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability PPP - Public-Private Partnership PSC - Public Service Commission RE - Renewable Energy RSE - Recognised Seasonal Employment SAA - Samoa Airport Authority SASNOC - Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee SBC - Samoa Broadcasting Corporation SBS - Samoa Bureau of Statistics SFESA - Samoa Fire and Emergency Service Agency SIEDP - Samoa Inclusive Education Development Program SLC - Samoa Land Corporation SNEP - Samoa National Energy Policy SNPF - Samoa National Provident Fund SPELL - Samoa Primary Education Literacy Level SQA - Samoa Qualification Authority SQF - Samoa Qualification Framework SSC - Samoa Shipping Corporation STA - Samoa Tourism Authority STEC - Samoa Trust Estate Corporation SWA - Samoa Water Authority SROS - Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa
SPREP - Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme SBEC - Small Business Enterprise Centre SME - Small Medium Enterprises SPBD - South Pacific Business Development SOE - State of the Environment SOEs - State Owned Enterprises SDS - Strategy for the Development of Samoa TDP - Tourism Development Plan TTRP - Tourism Tsunami Rebuilding Programme TCM - Trade, Commerce and Manufacturing TTM - Tupua Tamasese Meaole UNDP - United Nation Development Programme UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF - United Nations International Children‟s Emergency Fund USA - United States of America UTOS - Unit Trust Office of Samoa WIBDI - Women in Business Development Incorporated WTO World Trade Organization
SECTION 1: STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAMOA 2012-2016
THE VISION
Samoa has continued to progress considerably throughout the past years of world economic uncertainty as indicated by positive results in most of the indicators throughout the broad sector of the economy. However, the unending challenge still remains towards raising the quality of life for all in all sectors of the economy. The agriculture sector as a whole, and agricultural export earnings in particular, have generally been weak. The continuous efforts of the Samoan government and its people, with the assistance from our country‟s development partners will remain towards raising the quality of life for all. Therefore the Vision for the 2012 – 2016 SDS remains fundamentally the same from the previous National Strategies focussing on:
The achievement of the Vision relies on the effective implementation of the development strategies within the fourteen (14) key national outcomes within four broad sectors. These four sectors of the SDS 2012 – 2016 include Economic sector, Social sector, Infrastructure sector and the Environment sector. These key outcomes are: Priority Area 1: Economic Sector
Key Outcome 1: Macroeconomic Stability
Key Outcome 2: Re-invigorate Agriculture
Key Outcome 3: Revitalized Exports
Key Outcome 4: Sustainable Tourism
Key Outcome 5: Enabling Environment for Business Development
Priority Area 2: Social Policies
Key Outcome 6: A Healthy Samoa
Key Outcome 7: Improved Focus on Access to Education, Training and Learning Outcome
Key Outcome 8: Social Cohesion
Priority Area 3: Infrastructure Sector
Key Outcome 9: Sustainable Access to Safe Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation
Key Outcome 10: Efficient, Safe and Sustainable Transport System and Networks
Key Outcome 11: Universal Access to Reliable and Affordable ICT Services
Key Outcome 12: Sustainability Energy Supply
Priority Area 4: Environment Sector
Key Outcome 13: Environment Sustainability
Key Outcome 14: Climate and Disaster Resilience
In support of the Vision, the theme for the 2012-2016 SDS is „boosting productivity for sustainable development‟. The theme thus emphasise the national commitment of pushing the productive sectors of the economy to revitalize growth whilst at the same time concentrating on ensuring buffering mechanisms are in place to protect the local economy from the effects of any future global economic crises.
SECTION 2: KEY OUTCOMES AND STRATEGIES 2012-2016
PRIORITY AREA I: ECONOMIC SECTOR
Key Outcome 1: Macroeconomic Stability
Strategic Areas
1. Fiscal sustainability and economic resilience:
- Continue to strengthen public finance management,
- Implement and monitor the Debt
Management Strategy, and
- Implement and review the Aid Policy;
2. Accommodative Monetary Policy;
3. Develop and implement an appropriate institutional framework for the finance sector; and
4. Develop transition strategy for graduation out of LDC status.
The Samoan economy did not achieve its macroeconomic targets in the last Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008 – 2012. The Strategy for the Development of Samoa‟s (SDS) target for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was 3 - 4% per annum. However, over the four years of the SDS period, aggregate GDP showed zero real growth. This implies that per capita GDP declined by an average of about 0.7% per annum. The economy was adversely impacted by recent exogenous shocks such as the Tsunami in September 2009 which significantly affected tourism) and global economic volatility, notably the food and fuel price rises in 2007/08 and the economic and financial crisis which followed.
Key Indicators
1. Fiscal Policy:
- Budget deficit to be no more than 3.5% of GDP;
2. Maintaining total debt outstanding to less than 50% of GDP;
3. Improve on Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessment scores from 2010;
4. Monetary Policy:
- Underlying inflation at 3.0-4.0% per annum,
- Maintain Import cover at 4.0-6.0 months,
- Maintain competitive real exchange rate,
- Improve enabling environment for access to credit of the private sector; and
5. Macroeconomic Management:
- Achieve Real GDP growth averages 3.0 - 4.0% per annum.
Domestic employment fell as Yazaki laid-off workers in response to a sharp decline in the global demand for car parts and increasing transport costs from increasing fuel price. Remittances from the large diaspora have traditionally been equivalent to about 24% of GDP but were affected by the closure of the canneries in American Samoa and rising unemployment in USA and New Zealand in particular. Samoa already has a significant expatriate population in NZ, the US, and Australia, however increased labour market integration, including short term employment opportunities (Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme), offers potential benefits for both labour sending and receiving countries.
Nevertheless, the government‟s continuing economic goal is to rebuild macro-economic resilience and encourage inclusive growth, generate opportunities from global and regional integration as well as build resilience against natural disasters and climate change. In this regard, the government will continue to ensure that it will progressively reduce the fiscal deficit and rebuild reserves as a cushion for future
shocks, possibly through the use of budget support provided by the international community to enhance macro-economic resilience, including building cash balances and, potentially, improve the structure of its debt portfolio.
Key Outcome 2: Re-invigorate Agriculture
Strategic Areas
1. Adopt an inclusive approach to promote and encourage investment in agriculture and fisheries through:
- Provision of responsive advisory services in crops, livestock and fisheries,
- Provision of planting materials and availability of fishing equipment, and
- Better access to financing and market information;
2. Encourage priority investment in downstream high value added processing of products utilising research results available;
3. Support the development of organic products and „Organic Samoa‟ brand;
4. Enhance capacity building at the community and village level, secondary and tertiary level and vocational training; and
5. Strengthen the policy, strategic planning and management capability to support sustainable agriculture development.
The Agriculture Sector (including Fisheries) remains at the forefront of economic growth and is key to ensuring food security, income generation and enhances export capacity. This is reflected in the vision for the Agriculture Sector Plan 2011 - 2016 (ASP) of "Agriculture for Food and Income Security" which is guided by the theme "farming and fishing first". Development will be dominated by small scale subsistence and semi commercial farms and fishing communities which also provide a safety net for most Samoans.
The overarching goal for the ASP is to increase the Agriculture sector‟s contribution to GDP to 20% by 2015. To achieve this, focus in the medium term will be to direct investment to help improve food security through enhanced production in livestock and selected crops, ensure farmers have access to information, credit, advisory and extension services and take greater advantage of market opportunities, particularly by accessing supply chains for tourism operators in Samoa, and provide opportunities for import substitution.
Key Indicators
1. Increased contribution to Real GDP by 2% p.a.;
2. Reduced imports of agricultural products in particular fruits vegetables and livestock products;
3. Improved local supply (measured by increased Fugalei market supply);
4. Increased level of subsistence agriculture moving towards semi commercial status;
5. Increased investment in Agriculture;
6. Effective dialogue between Government, private sector and civil society;
7. Contribution of subsistence agriculture to GDP quantified;
8. Effective extension services in place through client feedback; and
9. Increased Number of graduates in agriculture/fisheries related fields.
The Scientific Research Organization of Samoa (SROS) will continue to play a key role in research and development for value added process within the sector to further facilitate import substition. Within the medium term, efforts will be directed to encouraging investment by the private sector in value added processing building on research results by the SROS. Key developments with breadfruit and cassava flour as well as avocado oil provide alternative income opportunities for farmers. Investing in more and varied value added processing could also be done for fisheries and other agriculture sub sectors.
The sustainability of the sector and its initiatives as well as the successful
implementation of the ASP will rely heavily on ensuring that capacity building through training and awareness raising is actively promoted, integrated and mainstreamed at the national and community level, with the full participation of all key stakeholders including education and vocational training institutions. This will ensure that agricultural studies are mainstreamed at all levels of education. Capacity building will be complemented by having an effective mechanism in place to facilitate dialogue, information sharing and exchange between the Government, private sector and civil society on all sector related issues. Key Outcome 3: Revitalized Exports
Strategic Areas
1. Review and implement the National Export Strategy (NES);
2. Establish an Export Authority to provide essential export and marketing services;
3. Support and promote niche export and high value added products such as organic products for export;
4. Identification and promotion of potential crops and livestock products for exports;
5. Effective coordination amongst producers' associations to support export demand; and
6. Closer working relationship between the Export Authority and the exporters.
Samoa's export capacity, comprised mainly of agricultural based products with minimal value added processing, has a downward trend over the past 10 years. Efforts therefore, within the medium term will focus on strengthening the institutional framework to support the development and revitalization of exports. Export promotion will require enhancing competitiveness, which in turn necessitates reducing production costs.
Export diversification has been a key component of the trade policy reforms. Noting the continued trade deficit since the 1980s with merchandise exports continuing to decline over the years, Samoa in 2009 adopted a National Export Strategy (2008-2012) as a framework to addressing the situation. Commodity exports account for the bulk of the country‟s merchandise export earnings, with the main ones being fish, nonu fruit, nonu juice, coconut oil, coconut cream, beer and taro. By value fish remains the single largest export commodity, followed by coconut products.
A review of the National Export Strategy 2008 - 2012, should be undertaken to ensure relevance of the information to the changing circumstances both nationally and internationally. A total of 53 activities are identified in the Strategy for implementation. From 2009 – 2010, 30 activities have commenced with the majority being ongoing activities and a few that are considered completed, including the establishment of a National Export Agency (NEA) believed to be a pivotal element in the implementation of the NES. The role of the NEA will be to facilitate the dissemination of market information to inform exporters' decision making as well as act as liaison between exporters and key markets. The actual set up of the NEA is expected to be an integral part of the Trade Commerce and Manufacturing (TCM) sector plan implementation.
Key Indicators
1. Increase merchandise exports by 5% p.a.;
2. Increase the range of processed export products;
3. Agricultural exports increase by 3% p.a.;
4. Improve access of farmers to timely and up to date information;
5. Export Authority established and resourced; and
6. Effective cooperation amongst all exporting parties established.
Three types of manufacturing are relevant in Samoa‟s case. First, is the agro-processing sub-sector; but for this to thrive requires a reduction of risks faced along the value chain by farmers and by buyers on supply side constraints The support towards revitalization of agriculture is expected to address this situation. The second type is the assembling manufacturing for re-export (e.g. Yazaki). The third is the high value value-added high-end specialized niche products, which maximizes the returns on Samoa relatively limited size, resources and comparative advantage. In addition to re-invigorating agricultural exports, organic farming and export niche products will continue to be promoted in the medium term given the relative success of efforts by the Women in Business Development Inc. In line with this priority, the Government has revived one of its key support measures to exporters through its Export Development Scheme which was approved by Cabinet in January 2012. The scheme provides financial assistance through offering Export finance guarantees to secure short term financing from financial institutions for the manufacturing, agricultural, fisheries, livestock and other growth sectors to develop quality and value added products for commercial consumption internationally. Key Outcome 4: Sustainable Tourism
Strategic Areas
1. Improve destination promotion and marketing;
2. Ensure quality product and service delivery through implementation of tourism operators‟ standards;
3. Support and encourage the linkages amongst training providers to strengthen relevant training for the industry;
4. Enhance Market Access (connectivity and links);
5. Improve tourism infrastructure;
6. Formulate a tourism and promotional investment policy; and
7. Strengthen linkages between tourism and other sectors of the economy.
Tourism plays a leading role in foreign exchange earning equivalent to over 20 percent of GDP. The format of the present GDP statistics on hotels and restaurants does clearly illustrate the relative feeding across to other industries. It also plays a significant role in the balance of payments especially when considering visiting friends and relatives as part of the tourism industry. Expenditure by tourists, gives rise to government revenue, encourages entrepreneurial opportunities, and helps promote and revive culture and branding. The foreign exchange earnings generated act as a buffer to the balance of payments position. Tourism therefore has a multiplier effect at all levels directly and indirectly from the individual up to the macro level.
Following the 2009 Tsunami, tourist arrivals and tourism earnings have been heavily impacted in the subsequent years given that an estimated 13% of the sector was destroyed. While there are significant challenges facing the tourism industry, the government recognizes its contribution to the economy. There is considerable opportunity to grow that contribution and the flow-on benefits that come from being a recognized tourism destination. All services, utilities and tourism infrastructure have been fully restored in the tsunami affected areas.
Key Indicators
1. Growth in total tourist numbers of 5 - 7% per annum;
2. Growth in tourism earnings of 5% per annum;
3. Increase in formal investment in the sector;
4. Maintain cruise ship port calls at 30 per annum;
5. 100% of operators complying with Samoa Accommodation standards; and
6. Occupancy rate to increase by 15% over four years.
Ongoing efforts filter through the marketing strategy in the target markets regarding Samoa as a tourist destination. This serves to entice tourists to Samoa as the destination for holiday and leisure with its unique culture, its preserved environment and natural hospitality. The tourism industry has continued to work closely with the community, the government and other related sectors in developing and improving its tourism products along the value chain from the point of entry through the stay duration to departure. These tourism products are not merely focusing on the accommodation facilities, services and recreational activities but also include heritage culture, natural environment and hospitality. Given Samoa‟s relative comparative advantage, investment in tourism infrastructure should be scaled up to promote Samoa as an attractive tourist destination supported by good infrastructure and service delivery.
Human resource development is central to tourism development. These efforts will focus primarily on relevant training for tourism sector employees at all levels of the tourism industry. A sector workforce plan is in its initial implementation stage but has ensured that the linkages across the sector and with the training institutions including Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC), National University of Samoa (NUS) are strengthened. Quality assurance is provided by the Samoa Qualifications Authority. A tourism and promotional investment policy is in place. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), in collaboration with New Zealand, intends to significantly scale up efforts to encourage new investment in Samoa, with a focus on tourism as part of the Pacific Regional Tourism Initiative (PRTI) to be launched in 2012. Samoa is one of 3 focus countries – with Tonga and Vanuatu. The initiative aims to mobilize US$15 million in new private sector funding for tourism infrastructure as well as US$30 million in new tourism investments to support up to 4,000 new tourist arrivals across three pilot countries over the next three years. Key Outcome 5: Enabling Environment for Business Development
As an open economy with a narrow export base, Samoa faces a persistent sizeable trade deficit. The total value of imports and exports of goods and services are equivalent to about 95% of GDP. The commerce sector is growing steadily with its share of GDP growing from 16% in 1998 to about 20% in 2011 and reflects growth of Samoa‟s domestic market. The manufacturing sector is small and accounts for 9% of GDP yet it is an important contributor to exports and a source of employment. The export structure comprises mainly agricultural commodities with little valued processing. The trade deficit has been mainly financed by receipts from tourism, remittances and aid.
Strategic Areas
1. Improve the enabling environment for business development through the implementation of the trade sector plan;
2. Strengthen and support a „One stop shop‟ approach;
3. Supporting cost effective infrastructure;
4. Promote small business development;
5. Focused support on rural businesses; and
6. Raise the efficiency and effectiveness of public service to support the private sector and community.
The Trade, commerce and manufacturing sector plan sets out strategies and interventions that will propel development in the sector, create employment and reduce hardship through stimulating production and value added processing. This will as a consequence, allow the government to widen its tax base to source income to finance social services and other programs. The end of 2011 saw Samoa become a full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the fifth Least Developed Country (LDC) to achieve this status and now one of more than 150 other full members of the organization. This will provide Samoa with new opportunities to expand its trade capacities albeit these come with challenges of their own. In this regard, government needs to build supply side capacity as a matter of top priority. Growth in commodity exports, as an additional source of foreign exchange earnings is essential for the future growth of the Samoan economy.
The government recognizes the importance of trade, commerce and manufacturing and the benefits to be derived from the efficient and effective implementation of its trade sector plan. Government is therefore committed to make available to the sector the support needed to consolidate, strengthen and improve its implementation. A stock exchange is proposed to be established during the plan period to deepen the financial market and support further business development.
Key Indicators
1. Increase in the number of new employment in export oriented industries;
2. Increase in number of foreign investment certificates issued;
3. Increase in number of small businesses that graduate from informal to formal sector;
4. Reduce cost of doing business-through facilitative credit access and cost effective utilities and infrastructure (incl. telecommunication);
5. Increase public-private partnerships (PPP);
6. Improved Scores in World Bank Governance Indicators;
7. PASP Secretariat annual evaluation reports and Report of Review of Public Service publicly disseminated; and
8. Score for Rule of law in World Bank Governance Indicators increases.
A „One Stop Shop‟ will be strengthened and coordinated by the responsible government agencies that are involved in the approval process for new private sector ventures, and the mobilization of investments. The aim will be to eliminate bureaucracy and create an enabling environment for business development and the creation of new employment opportunities as well as improved service delivery to the public. Ongoing reform efforts will focus on providing cost effective and efficient economic infrastructure services in terms of energy, water, transport and telecommunications.
The Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) will continue to promote and support the development of small businesses in the urban and rural areas. The focus will be on business management training, business advisory services, facilitation of access to financial resources and business nurturing and support. The Government, in association with its development partners provides support and incentives to the private sector under various schemes and facilities such as the Private Sector Support Fund, Duty Concession scheme and Code 121. As well, an
ongoing structural reform agenda is gaining momentum towards the promotion of inclusive growth, enhanced public sector efficiency as well as improvements in economic competitiveness. After all, the objective is not only to push for higher rates of economic growth but, more importantly, to improve the livelihoods of the people of Samoa and increase the quality of life for all.
PRIORITY AREA 2: SOCIAL POLICIES
Key Outcome 6: Healthy Samoa
The six pillars (Governance & Leadership, Health Service Delivery, Human Resources for Health, Health Information Systems, Medical products & technology) of the health system provide a strategic focus for the sector and national commitment to a ‘Healthy Samoa’.
The Health Sector Plan 2008-2018, presents the strategic mission „to regulate and provide quality accountable and sustainable health services through people working in partnership‟. The four main challenges faced by the health sector are;
Rapidly increasing level of non communicable diseases which will have major impact on the health system, community mortality and morbidity
Importance of reproductive, maternal and child health for the long term health of the community
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
Injury as a cause of death and disability
To address these challenges, the following strategies are being pursued under the health sector program
Strengthen health promotion and primordial prevention
Enhance quality health care services delivery including management of infectious diseases
Strengthen governance, human resource and health systems in the sector
Strengthen Partnership commitments
Financing health services
The solution to existing and emerging challenges such as shifts in health trends lie in the strengthening of health systems. A health system therefore based on health Promotion and comprehensive primary Health care orients its structures and functions towards the values of equity and social justice, solidarity and the right of every human being to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health, without discrimination.
Strategic Areas
1. Improve quality Health Service Delivery (which includes health promotion and health care);
2. Continuous Development of Human Resources for Health;
3. Improve quality and availability of Medical Products and Technology;
4. Strengthen Health Financing;
5. Continuous development of Health Information Systems; and
6. Strengthen Governance and Leadership.
The principles required to sustain such a health system entail the capacity to respond equitably and efficiently to the health needs of the population. This includes a high degree of quality and safety of practice, sectoral collaboration and action in service provision, the
ability to monitor progress for continuous improvement, the responsibility and accountability of Government and community at all levels, the assurance of sustainability, and a more genuine fostering of community participation. Creating an enabling environment for poverty reduction, reduction in risk factors in Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) and degenerative diseases, elimination of communicable diseases as well as strengthened health systems are prerequisites for equitable access to quality and efficient health services.
There is commitment to upgrade health infrastructure with the construction of the new hospital and rural health centres that would be appropriately furbished and equipped. Improved infrastructure must be complemented by adequate and suitably qualified human resources across all levels of staffing. The continuous development of human resources will be pursued through the appropriate windows of opportunity for capacity building under the sector program.
Key Indicators
1. Infant mortality rate falls;
2. Under 5 mortality rates falls;
3. Maternal Mortality Rate decreases;
4. Proportion of 1 year olds immunized against measles increases;
5. Immunization rate of children in Samoa (rural areas) increases;
6. % of births attended by skilled health personnel staff increases;
7. Reverse the rising trends in Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including obesity;
8. Number of attempts and deaths associated with suicide declines;
9. Prevalence and death rates associated with HIV/AIDS are reversed;
10. Prevalence rate of sexually transmitted infectious decreases;
11. TB prevalence and death rates decrease;
12. Increase in the number of qualified doctors and nurses and other allied professionals; and
13. Improve ratio of doctors per capita.
Given the high levels of lifestyle diseases in Samoa it is important that enhanced support be given to health financing reforms as well as encouragement of behavioural change. There is a need to improve on the information base to analyse and manage health care financing and that the development partners can be considered to provide that analytical support. Samoa cannot afford the costly provision of health care at secondary and tertiary levels hence the focus on health promotion and prevention.
The importance of strengthening partnerships facilitates the achievement of all other sector strategic objectives. Strengthened partnerships go hand in hand with good leadership, coordination and management of all health actors to support and assist in the development, financing and evaluation of national health policies and strategic plans. Key Outcome 7: Improved Focus on Access to Education, Training and Learning Outcome
Human Resource development and capacity building is a pre-requisite to achieving national and sectoral goals so as to ensure the skills and knowledge available within the country are relevant to the requirements of each sector. The mission of the sector plan 2012-2016 is to promote the achievement of high quality Education and training to meet the national socioeconomic and cultural goals.
Key Indicators
1. Increase in number of quality assured providers, programs and internationally recognized qualifications;
2. 100% of schools meeting the Minimum Service Standards (MSS) for Student Achievement;
3. Increased employability of graduates from Post-Secondary Education Training (PSET) providers;
4. Sustain adequate number of qualified teachers graduating from NUS;
5. Increase in number of students with disabilities being mainstreamed at all levels;
6. Integrated use of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning;
7. National Competency Policy developed and implemented;
8. Enhanced capacity for planning, research and policy development across the sector;
9. PSET knowledge management and information system developed and implemented;
10. Sector Coordination Mechanism established and funding integrated in budget;
11. Improved service delivery in all sub sectors; and
12. Improved facilities and resources across the sector.
The two-fold approach towards improving education and learning outcomes in the medium term involves improving the quality of teaching services as well as the learning environment. The aim is to increase and broaden access to education, ranging from Early Childhood Education to Post Secondary Training in both the formal and non-formal institutions as well ensure the gradual integration of Inclusive Education. It is envisaged that the successful implementation of the key strategic areas will lead to improvements in other social areas such as improved nutrition, better livelihood opportunities and ultimately reduced criminal activity.
Strategic Areas
1. Progress Quality teaching and learning at all levels;
2. Access to relevant educational and training opportunities at all levels;
3. Strengthen linkages between education and training development to national goals;
4. Improve coordination of planning and policy development at all levels; and
5. Upgrade facilities and resources and sustain efficient management across the sector.
The Government has been pursuing the development of this key sector over the past years through the Education Sector Program Phases I and II focusing on improved schools infrastructure, enhanced teacher quality, primary curriculum development, an improved assessment framework, the introduction of new technologies for learning and strengthening educational planning and management. To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, investments into the sector have thus been prioritized through the establishment of a Sector Wide Education Medium Term Expenditure Framework derived from a revised sector plan (2012-2016). This exercise intends to map out all Education Sector investments as well as potential financing gaps to ensure that resources are efficiently channelled to key priority areas. As well a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the revised sector plan will be developed so that there is a basis for tracking results in the medium to long term. Key Outcome 8: Social Cohesion 8.1 A Safe and Stable Samoa Ensure community safety through improved crime management and prevention
Improved measures to promote community safety will ensure a safe and stable Samoa going forward. Such measures include proper community policing activities/programs (neighborhood watch, mobile police station, and strategically placing police posts around the
country). Implementation of these measures with the support of the community can result in crime prevention and reduced crime. As well, the responsible agencies of government should accord priority to facilitating the accurate and reliable reporting of crime.
Strategic Areas
1. Ensure community safety through improved crime management and prevention;
2. Improve access to Justice, Law and Legal Services;
3. Recognize customary based justice and harmonize with formal justice system;
4. Promote integrity and good governance in formal and customary processes and services; and
5. Build sector agency capacity and improved service coordination.
Key Indicators
1. Increased reporting of crime;
2. Crime levels (domestic violence, child abuse, murder, theft etc) reduced;
3. Number of child and youth reoffending reduced;
4. Community policing programs enforced;
5. Disaggregated crimes statistics by gender collected as a standard practice;
6. Customary based justice in formal justice system processed promoted;
7. Good practices based on integrity and good governance principles documented; and
8. Digital legal information records system developed.
Improve access to Justice, Law and Legal Services
Access to justice, law and legal services can be challenging and would require the full collaboration of the relevant agencies and the general public. This can be achieved by increasing awareness of the community of their legal rights, all available legal services and how these services and information can be accessed. Recognize customary based justice and harmonize with formal justice system
In the cases where customary based justice was used to settle matters that were still brought before the formal justice system, the Court often considers the village decisions in deciding the sentence. When the formal justice systems rules against a decision of the village council, there are questions raised on the ability of the village fono to settle matters, and the validity of their authority. A review of the Village Fono Act is necessary to ensure clearly defined boundaries of authority and jurisdictions. Community consultations and public education programs targeting village councils are ways to bring the debate to the purview of the public thus enhancing awareness. Promote integrity and good governance in formal and customary processes and services
The stakeholders within the Law and Justice Sector are accountable to the public for exercising a range of state functions. Good governance has been at the forefront of government operations. It is therefore important to understand that the principles of good governance and integrity are enshrined in the policy and legislative framework across the executive government, and that the same provide guidance to the legislature and judiciary arms of the government.
Build sector agency capacity and improved service coordination
In support of a safe and stable Samoa, capacity building across the range of sector stakeholders should be part of sector coordination and should include strengthening the human resource capacity, improving the effectiveness of organizational management systems processes and procedures, as well as improving the communication between sector agencies and the community.
8.2 Community Development
As emphasized in previous development strategies, government will continue to promote good governance in local communities, strengthen community development, and social safety nets as well as mainstreaming gender and disability in policy development.
Key Indicators
1. Frequency of family and village disputes reduces;
2. Increase number of community based business established and operating profitably;
3. Increase number of women and youth engaged in community based program/business; and
4. Increase participation of people with disability in decision making.
Strategic Areas
1. Strengthen village governance;
2. Promote community development;
3. Strengthen social safety nets including social protection measures;
4. Mainstream gender and disability in policy development;
5. Enhanced resilience to meet the impacts of climate change and natural disasters; and
6. Enhanced partnerships for financing initiatives.
The Community Sector Plan 2010-2015 presents the vision of “Empowering communities for sustainable community development” and the mission “Lead, coordinate and monitor community development services and programs through partnership and collective responsibilities”. The key strategies that must be addressed by the sector if a forward looking pathway is to be achieved are as follows:
Strengthen village governance, build greater cohesion and facilitate community ownership of development initiatives
Enhance the delivery of community development services and programs
Strengthen social protection and poverty alleviation programs for communities
Address the impacts of climate change and ensure community preparedness for disaster risk reduction, disaster management and strong community resilience
Enhance partnerships with development partners on sustainable community development initiatives
The strategic areas as identified are underpinned by the guiding principles of quality leadership, partnership, respect, people centered and reciprocity. PRIORITY AREA 3: INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR
Key Outcome 9: Sustainable Access to Safe Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation
The Water or Life document is the key overarching sector plan for the development of water resources. The review of the Plan indicated marked improvements in some areas, however more effort is needed to ensure sustainability of the resources as well as improved access to quality water services. The water sector is a good example of where careful and considered decision making is crucial to sustainable development. The Government
has prioritized the conservation and rehabilitation of key catchment areas through the implementation of the Water Resource Management Bill which mandates the Government to secure the conservation, maintenance and sustainable use of all water resources.
Strategic Areas
1. A strengthened, effective and sustainable governance framework for service providers;
2. Water resources managed in an integrated and sustainable manner;
3. Improved access to reliable and affordable water supply meeting national quality standards;
4. Increased access to improved sanitation and wastewater systems; and
5. Improved quality of drainage networks.
The health of the nation and control over the prevalence of water borne diseases depend greatly on improving access to safe and reliable drinking water as well as sanitation and wastewater systems. The Samoa Water Authority (SWA) is committed in the medium term to reducing water losses and leakages as well as improve the quality of water resources so as to meet water quality standards as set by the Ministry of Health. As well emphasis is on raising the percentage of the population with access to safe and affordable water supply both from the SWA and Independent Water Scheme Association (IWSA). Key to the successful implementation of the Water for Life strategies is the existence of an effective governance framework for the water services sub sector. Key Outcome 10: Efficient, Safe and Sustainable Transport System and Networks
Key Indicators
1. Increased annual customer satisfaction ratings;
2. Number of watershed management plans approved and under implementation;
3. The cumulative total hectares of watershed areas that have been rehabilitated (fenced, planted and with human activity effectively controlled);
4. Percentage of households that have access to reliable and affordable water supply;
5. Water losses as a defined service area of SWA;
6. Water quality improved in line with water standards;
7. Better management of Independent Water Scheme;
8. Number of households with access to basic sanitation (including septic tanks, disposal etc); and
9. Cost recovery for water waste enforced.
The Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MWTI) is the lead agency for the Transport sector and will be tasked with overseeing the compilation and overall implementation of a Transport Sector Plan within the medium term. The Transport Sector Plan to be divided into Land, Aviation and Maritime transportation will set the strategic focus and ovearching objectives for the sector.
Particular attention will be paid to the upgrading and raising the resilience of Samoa's economic corridor (Faleolo to Apia) to be funded through a facility for climate financing. This work will connect with the current widening of the Lepea to Vaitele streets. Focus will also be on compliance with roads construction standards to ensure the
resilience of roads against extreme weather conditions as a result of climate change. In addtion to road rehabilitation and resilience, pedestrian facilities will also be upgraded as well as ensuring safe bus terminals and stops throughout the country to cater for the traveling public.
Key Indicators
1. Publication/implementation of Transport Sector Plan;
2. Kilometers of Apia - Faleolo road upgrade completed;
3. Kilometers of the national road network upgraded;
4. Frequency of road maintenance reduced;
5. Adoption of improved construction standards for roads;
6. Improved customer satisfaction with port and airport facilities as well as related services;
7. Improved compliance with international safety standards; and
8. Reduced road damages due to weather and related complaints.
Strategic Areas
1. Development of a Transport Sector Plan linking road network plans with port and airport development priorities;
2. Enforce construction standards for roads and drainage including pedestrian safety and climate resilience;
3. Upgrade and maintain ports and airport terminal facilities as well as other related services;
4. Improved safety and security systems for all ports and airports;
5. Ensure efficient management and coordinated service delivery in compliance with international safety standards;
6. Integrate best practice climate resilience measures into the design and planning of all transport networks; and
7. Ensure integrated development efforts with all other utility services.
Ports and Airport terminals will also be upgraded, maintained and closely monitored to ensure access and safety for the travelling public. It is envisaged that the Faleolo Airport will undergo refurbishment and maintenance within the medium term to assist in tourism development. Maritime ports will also be upgraded for the same purposes. A Ports study will provide the basis for further developments including new facilities. The constraints faced by the sector with regards to its InternationaL Maritime Organisation (IMO) obligations are being addressed through the establishment of the NUS Ocean Campus and upgrade of the former Marine Training school.
Efficient coordination and management of all transport services will be a collaborative effort between the Government, private sector and the community and priority consideration will be given to capacity building, through training for the sector. Key Outcome 11: Universal Access to Reliable and Affordable ICT Services
In recent years, the telecommunication sector has become a landmark feature of the Samoan economy‟s gradual shift from state-owned monopoly to a more open and competitive IT market. This transition will continue to increase the efficiencies of both domestic and international communications. It will also support increased competition in the productive sectors as well as improve the delivery of social and emergency services. According to the Samoa National Provident Fund (SNPF) figures, formal
employment in the communications sector increased by about 17% over the last decade. Going forward, the government will develop and implement a communication sector plan to address all issues relating to the sector.
Strategic Areas
1. Develop and implement a communication sector plan;
2. Investigate and regulate prices;
3. Strengthen institutional arrangement and support for IT including public private partnerships;
4. Encourage investment into ICT Infrastructure including a clearly identified least cost role for the government in this regard; and
5. Incorporate E-waste into the Waste Management policy.
The government is currently considering the least cost option to it for a second undersea submarine fiber-optic cable. This is needed to supplement the current limited bandwidth and to provide sustainability beyond the estimated five year lifespan of the current ASH cable. The new cable option needs to be carefully assessed in order to meet the forecast growth in demand for internet bandwidth.
Through this project, it is expected that both the wholesale bandwidth costs and retail costs of internet access will significantly reduced. The availability of internet access throughout the whole of Samoa will be vigorously pursued during the SDS 2012-2016 period. Given this, an increase in the number of in country training courses on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) will be required. The government will explore all opportunities to encourage private investment, rather than just the government investing in ICT infrastructure to support the new cable connection. In this regard, the government will aim to achieve its share of a least-cost role in conjunction with a private sector internet and will make sure that access to bandwidth for all domestic service providers will be fairly priced.
Key Indicators
1. Lower broadband prices;
2. Improve broadband access and speed;
3. Increase number of certified IT professionals; and
4. Increase the number of in-country ICT Training Courses.
The E-waste study that has been done by the South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) will be incorporated into the Waste Management Policy. The national ICT strategy and progress of the E-government strategy will be reviewed. The use of electrical and electronic equipment is increasing significantly posing new challenges for waste management in Samoa. Electrical and electronic waste contains hazardous but also valuable and scarce materials such as metal and alloys which can be recovered and recycled. Proper management and disposal of E-waste is important to the long-term protection of local and regional Pacific environments, as well as to the maintenance of long-term regional sustainability. Key Outcome 12: Sustainable, Energy Supply
Demand for energy has increased in Samoa over the last decade, thus reliable, affordable and environmentally sound energy services and supply is crucial to meeting this demand. Scientific research shows that fossil fuels are depleting at a faster rate than anticipated, consequently there is a need to promote and increase renewable energy investment options and generation across the country.
Samoa‟s National Energy Policy 2007 goal is “To increase the contribution of Renewable Energy for energy services and supply by 20% by the year 2030”. Renewable Energy is one of the five strategic areas of the Samoa National Energy Policy with the objective to “successfully shift from fossil fuel dependency to Renewable Energy investment”.
Strategic Areas
1. Promote and increase RE investment and generation;
2. Efficient, affordable and reliable electricity supply;
3. Effective management of petroleum supply;
4. Promote energy efficiency practices in all sectors particularly the transport sector; and
5. Efficient and effective coordination and management of the sector through the implementation of the energy sector plan.
Key Indicators
1. Gradual phasing out of fossil fuels;
2. To increase the contribution of RE for energy services and supply by 8% over the 4 year planning horizon;
3. Complete and implement energy sector plan; and
4. Energy regulatory functions established.
Renewable Energy is environmentally friendly and cleaner which makes it a better substitute for fossil fuel. Hydropower and solar power have been proven successful in Samoa, and recent studies show that there are other potential renewable sources for Samoa which include biomass gasification, biogas, wind, biodiesel and biofuels. Samoa‟s development partners are assisting it to test the market for biomass and biodiesel options and includes the exploration of operational modalities such as the use of public private partnerships. An appropriate institutional mechanism for the coordination of the energy sector in line with the Energy policy is being set up within the Ministry of Finance with technical advice provided by SROS and MNRE.
Promoting energy efficiency practices throughout the country is imperative, to enhance public awareness and understanding of the importance of conserving energy and its efficient use, for the most part in the transport sector. Transport is vital to the social and economic development of Samoa, therefore it is important to promote energy efficiency practices, particularly with the increasing petroleum prices. Other energy efficient good practices in the transport sector include the use of public transport, carpooling, and use of bicycles.
The effective and efficient coordination and management of the energy sector remains the responsibility of the Energy Unit of the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders.
The Samoa National Energy Policy is currently being reviewed with the development of the proposed Energy Sector Plan 2012-2016 which is anticipated to be launched in mid 2012. PRIORITY AREA 4: THE ENVIRONMENT
Key Outcome 13: Environment Sustainability
Samoa is committed to ensuring environmental sustainability and that the issue is core to sustainable development, likewise it remains a priority focal area of the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MNRE) work program. This work is underpinned by the development and implementation of appropriate legislative
frameworks and policies to guide sustainable development and management of natural resources. This will ensure optimum benefits from the use of natural resources. The environment will feature prominently as a cross-cutting issue in all development initiatives. Community engagement in environmental management is vital because of the importance of balancing their needs against environmental sustainability for instance; enhanced public awareness of the impact of agriculture development around watershed areas will result in better land use and conservation practices.
Strategic Areas
1. Sustainable management of natural resources;
2. Improve coordination of environmental initiatives through the development of an appropriate framework for the environment sector through the Statement of the Environment (SOE);
3. Support scientific research and data collection for better management;
4. Promote green growth technologies;
5. Protection of critical eco-systems and species;
6. Promote the use of good land use management practices;
7. Development of an urban agenda and policy;
8. Strengthen community engagement in environmental management;
9. Effective waste management strategies to support sustainable development; and
10. Effective assessment and monitoring of water resources.
Key Indicators
1. Increase percentage of land area covered by forest;
2. Proportion of land area planted under the community forestry programme;
3. Increase number of terrestrial and marine areas and critical ecosystems and species protected;
4. Number of species threatened with extinction decreased;
5. Proportion of invasive species eradicated;
6. Expansion of ground water monitoring network;
7. Percentage of rehabilitated degraded land and improved critical landscapes;
8. Legislation and tracking system for chemicals and hazardous waste developed and implemented;
9. Increase community awareness on water catchment areas and risk of unsustainable methods of farming;
10. Increase land areas declared as water catchment reserve; and
11. Improve compliance with land use management plans.
Sustainable land use management practices stress the proper utilization of land resources according to capabilities and vulnerabilities. Lessons learnt from the challenges faced in the implementation of past sustainable land management activities must be incorporated into new developments. Similarly the experiences gained from the „Sustainable Land Management of the Vaitele Urban area‟ program are a useful land use planning tool for all newly settled residential and industrial zones.
The lack of proper waste management practices imposes negative and serious consequences for health care, environmental quality, water resources, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, trade, food security, and sustainable development in general. Increases in waste generation as a result of economic and population growth led to the development of landfill sites using the Fukuoka method on both Savaii and Upolu.
The establishment of an effective coordinated framework to encompass all environmental initiatives as well as harmonize and rationalize all environmental projects to minimize duplication and strengthen sectoral linkages is a priority. It is also important to mainstream environment considerations into sector plans and programs, policies and budgetary processes.
Key Outcome 14: Climate and Disaster Resilience
Strategic Areas
1. Mainstream climate change and disaster risk management;
2. Undertake climate change and hazard risks analysis and vulnerability assessments on sector plans and major investment initiatives to identify potential impacts to determine best options for implementation;
3. Encourage the use of ecosystem based approach to adapt to potential climate change impacts;
4. Strengthen awareness and consultation on climate change and disaster risk management;
5. Strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacity;
6. Improve provision of accurate and timely information and warnings;
7. Improve monitoring of climate change through centralized collection of data;
8. Develop an appropriate national mitigation plan for Samoa to meet carbon trading;
9. Implement revised coastal infrastructure management plans; and
10. Develop financing modalities for CCA and DRM.
Samoa has experienced a number of natural disasters over the last decade some as a result of climate change. The most devastating has been the 8.1magnitude earthquake which spawned a massive tsunami in September 2009 killing 143 people and imposing considerable damage to infrastructure and personal properties. The importance of integrating climate change and disaster risk management into core national and sector plan policies ensures that appropriate response mechanisms become a part of the implementation framework. The appropriateness and type of response is dependent on the results of climate change and hazard risks analysis and vulnerability assessments of sector plans and major investment initiatives, to identify potential impacts. In addition, the use of an ecosystem based approach to adapt to potential climate change impacts will be encouraged.
Moreover, the government and responsible agencies will emphasize the importance of strengthening awareness and consultations on climate change and disaster risk management at all levels, so as to improve community engagement and understanding of future potential impacts and proposed adaptation and risk reduction strategies.
It is also important to establish disaster preparedness and response capacity ofthe community at all levels.
The provision and dissemination of accurate and timely warnings, hazard projections and forecasts to support disaster preparedness and response as well as the scientific information providing context to the likely impacts of climate change is the responsibility of the Meteorology Office supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the SROS. Furthermore the collection of data and information so as to improve monitoring of climate change will be carried out across all sectors to identify trends and linkages with climate risks to enable revision and development of appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
An appropriate national mitigation plan for Samoa to meet carbon trading will be developed according to the information available and to be collected.
Key Indicators
1. Percentage of GHGs emissions reduced;
2. Number of renewable energy technologies promoted and used;
3. A monitoring framework and base line data for climate change impacts and adaptation developed;
4. A monitoring and evaluation framework to monitor the effectiveness of DRM programmes at national agency and village levels;
5. Level of investment in DRM and climate change adaptation measures;
6. Number of community disaster and climate risk management programmes completed;
7. Number of climate risk profiles updated;
8. Coastal Infrastructure Management Plans implemented;
9. Number of ecosystems rehabilitated and or effectively managed; and
10. Appropriate financing modalities for CCA and DRR.
Implementation of a revised coastal infrastrucutre management plan is necessary, as the vast majority of the population living on the coastal fringes of Upolu and Savaii may experience an increase in coastal erosion, and are most likely to be affected more by storm surges, cyclones, hurricanes and other natural disasters.
The government will look closely into developing appropriate financing modalities for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management. It will build on exisiting and proven modalities used such as budget support, multi donor pooled funding, and trust funds. The preference is to shift away from a projectised approach which in the long run is unsustainable and inflexible. In order for the Government to tap into the sources for climate finance, there is a need to strengthen the institutional framework for coordination and financial management as well as the use of analytical tools such as the Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review (CPEIR) for the successful mainstreaming of climate change and disaster risk reduction in the national development framework.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
SECTION 3: A REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES OF STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAMOA, 2008-2012: ENSURING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS
Preface The Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008-2012 is the sixth SDS document with its time schedule aligned to that of a fiscal year. It highlighted a long term Vision of “Improved Quality of Life for All” The achievement of this vision would be reached by effective implementation of the development strategies aimed at seven national development goals. These goals are classified under the three priority areas of economic policies, social policies and public sector management and environmental sustainability, as follows: Priority Area 1: Economic Policies • Goal 1: Sustained Macroeconomic Stability • Goal 2: Private Sector Led Economic Growth and Employment Creation Priority Area 2: Social Policies • Goal 3: Improved Education Outcomes • Goal 4: Improved Health Outcomes • Goal 5: Community Development: Improved Economic and Social Wellbeing and Improved Village Governance Priority Area 3: Public Sector Management and Environmental Sustainability • Goal 6: Improved Governance • Goal 7: Environmental Sustainability and Disaster Risk Reduction Progress in achieving the seven goals were assessed according to a number of targets/indicators, which are presented in full in Appendix 1. This report focused on reviewing the progress in implementing the wide range of policies, strategies, programs and projects during the SDS period. The assessments presented were based on available socio-economic data and responses from line ministries, public bodies and private sector organizations, all of which used the SDS 2008-2012 Summary Strategy Matrix for Monitoring and Reporting. Implementation of the vast majority of strategies presented in the matrix were on target with some delays as a result of inadequate resources and lack of technical and administrative capacity. Goal 1: Sustained Macroeconomic Stability Maintaining sustainable macroeconomic stability involves achieving the following macroeconomic policy targets:
a. Budget deficit to be no more than 3.5% of GDP
b. Underlying inflation at 3.0% – 4.0% per annum
c. Import cover at 4.0 – 6.0 months
d. Competitive real effective exchange rate
The overall budget deficits for 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 exceeded 3.5% of GDP to stand at 6.0%, 11.0% and 9.3% respectively. The deficits were due to frontloading investment in capital projects that helped stimulate growth, providing a buffer to the impacts of the food fuel and global economic crises as well as implementing tsunami reconstruction works which were funded through a mix of concessional loans and grants. For 2011/12, the overall budget deficit had contracted to 6.5% in view of the planned fiscal consolidation for the medium term. A public sector Medium Term Debt Management policy was developed and institutional issues addressed with the setting up of the Debt Management Unit. Private sector external debt continued to be managed by the Central Bank as part of its Foreign Exchange Control Regulations. A Development Cooperation Policy (Partners in Development:
Promoting Aid Effectiveness) was approved in 2010 and its implementation process begun. A three year medium term fiscal framework had been developed and implemented under the Public Finance Management Reform Plan as of 2011/12 all aid was now on budget. On the monetary policy side, maintaining price stability, international reserves viability and a sound financial system were the key factors in promoting sustainable economic growth. However, the beginning of the global recession in 2008 required monetary and exchange rate policies to focus specifically on reviving the ailing economy rather than keeping inflation within the benchmark rate of 3.0%. Thus, the Central Bank endeavored to reduce interest rates and encouraged commercial banks to expand lending to the private sector. The Bank pursued this policy stance by making substantial liquidity available to the financial system.
The high inflation rate of 13.9% in 2008/09 compared to the inflation rate of 6.2% in 2007/08 was driven largely by food and fuel prices. The upward trend in imported food prices, notably rice, flour and sugar caused local food prices to increase over this period. In 2009/10, annual average inflation rate stood at -0.2%, dropping by 14.1 percentage points from 2008/09. This overall result demonstrated that food prices had largely contributed to the decline throughout this period. In 2010/11, inflation rate amounted to 2.1% and recorded a surge of 3.1 percentage points over 2009101. This outcome was a reflection of the increase in household consumption, which filtered through high electricity and water rates. At end March 2011/12, annual average inflation rate stood at 5.6%, increased of 3.7 percentage points from end March 2010/11. This result was caused mainly by the increase of 16.1 percentage points in local food prices largely due to the reduction of agricultural produce available at the Fugalei market. On the external balance of payments, international reserves had been maintained within the target range of 4.0 to 6.0 months of import cover at end June 2008/09. Import cover for this period stood at 5.1 months. At end June 2009/10 and 2010/11, import cover exceeded the range of 4.0 to 6.0 months to stand at 7.6 months and 6.4 months. The high level of reserves was largely driven by an increasing amount of grants and concessional loans available for a response to the global economic crisis and tsunami rehabilitation. Goal 2: Private Sector Led Economic Growth and Employment Creation Achievement of this goal was measured using the following target indicators:
1 Rebasing of Consumer Price Index in 2009/10 2 Private sector employment is estimated approximately as total formal sector employment minus employment in the public administration and electricity and water sectors.
a. Real GDP growth averages 3.0–4.0% per annum
b. Private sector employment growth averages 2.5% per annum.2
c. Scores on World Bank Doing Business Indicators and Regulatory Quality component of World Bank governance indicators improve from their 2006 levels
d. Growth in total visitor numbers of 10% per annum.
Samoa‟s economy had recently shown reasonable growth, underpinned by a stable macro-economic environment and a business friendly investment climate. It had however contracted by over 5% in 2009 as a result of the cumulative effects of the 2008 food and fuel price spikes, the global slowdown, and a devastating tsunami in September 2009. The government responded to the global recession and tsunami with expansionary monetary policy and a significant fiscal stimulus (equivalent to $100 million or about 15% of GDP over 4 years). Spending had been effectively allocated to address the immediate needs of resettlement and infrastructure rehabilitation as well improving safety nets, and was designed to boost
economic activity and generate employment opportunities, while laying a foundation for expanding the productive capacity of the economy in the medium term. The economy responded to these measures, and growth of just below 3% was estimated in FY11. These policies had, however, resulted in Samoa‟s previously modest fiscal deficit widening to 10% of GDP in FY10, although it was now narrowing, and external public debt climbing back to almost 60% of GDP. Samoa‟s rank of 60th in the World Bank‟s Doing Business survey 2012 placed it among the highest among Pacific countries. Samoa had been among the forefront of Pacific island countries in introducing reforms to the telecoms and airlines sectors in the mid-2000s. Still, after the transformation of the Samoan economy in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Doing Business ratings of several other island countries had over the past decade climbed relative to Samoa. If Samoa was to maintain its competitive advantage in terms of the quality of its regulatory and business environment compared to competitors, there is scope to further accelerate momentum on the remaining structural agenda and encourage greater economic efficiency. This would be particularly important given broader risks to global growth, which could impact remittances and tourism, on which Samoa relied heavily. Private sector employment declined by 1.3% and 10.8% in 2007/08 and 2008/09 respectively then recorded increases of 2.0% and 1.2% at end of 2009/10 and 2010/11. The drop of 10.8% in 2008/09 was largely driven by the downward trend of 1,234 (33.6%) in the secondary sector caused mainly by the redundancy of Yazaki employees. There had been a rebound with the rehiring of Yazaki workers resulting in an overall growth of 2.0% in formal employment in 2009/10. Total visitor numbers increased by 1,042 (0.8%) in 2008/09, then recorded downward trends in 2009/10 and 2010/11. Similarly tourism receipts increased by $44.73 million (16.1%) in 2008/09, then recorded declines of $19.75 million (6.1%) and $15.11 million (5.0%) in 2009/10 and 2010/11 respectively. The declines in 2009/10 and 2010/11 reflected the impact of the tsunami on the tourism industry. The government continued to support the development of the private sector as the engine to growth through improvements and enhancement in the following areas. Economic Infrastructure Infrastructure in terms of water, energy, transport, and telecommunications continued to be supported to provide the enabling environment for businesses and improved services to the public. Given Samoa‟s comparative advantages in tourism, investment in tourism infrastructure continued to be scaled up to promote Samoa as an attractive tourist destination that was always supported by good infrastructure and service delivery. Energy A National Energy Coordinating Committee (NECC) was officially set up in August 2011 for efficient and effective coordination of the energy sector as well as for developing an implementation plan for the Energy Policy. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) which hosted the Energy Division worked collaboratively with the key sector stakeholders to appraise and approve as well as decided on appropriate renewable energy options for Samoa that would constitute an investment program for the sector. Some of these options included those that had built on research outcomes by SROS. The development partners had assisted through the provision of technical assistance to test the market for a number of these options using a non committal expression of interest process. Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Standards were launched in June 2010 for all service stations to comply with, as a prerequisite for license renewal to ensure that everyone had access to reliable, affordable and safe petroleum products.
Water and Sanitation Services Achievements in strengthening sector governance were made in the SDS review period. The Joint Water Sector Steering Committee was approved by Cabinet in 2009 and the Water sector coordination unit relocated from the Ministry of Finance where it was initially set up to its permanent base at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The Independent Water Schemes Association (IWSA) was established and hosted within the Ministry of Women Community and Social development to coordinate water systems that were owned managed and operated by village communities. The Water for Life: Sector Plan (2008 – 2012) and Framework for Action was reviewed in early 2012. The Water sector continued to receive 85% of European Union (EU) assistance annually complemented by assistance from the ADB for the sanitation and drainage subsectors. The conclusion of the Water sector Support program in 2009 and a successful annual outcome review resulted in the sector receiving European Union (EU) assistance through sector budget support with these arrangements becoming effective in FY2010/11. The Water Resource Management Act was approved in 2008 and became effective in 2009. The Water Abstraction Licensing Scheme was developed in 2009 and became effective in November 2010 to control and regulate surface and groundwater use. The review of the National Water Resources Policy 2001 was approved by cabinet in March 2010. The Water Services and Sanitation Policies were developed and approved in 2011. Key achievements with regards to investments in the sector include: the rehabilitation of the Apia catchment area and the set up of a Water resources Information and Management system with Global Environment Facility (GEF), the establishment of 5 new treatment plants, pumping stations and reservoirs by Samoa Water Authority (SWA), the drilling of two boreholes in Auala and Falealupo which are some of the driest areas in the country, the designs of new systems and rehabilitation of existing systems of village schemes under the Independent Water Scheme Association (IWSA) with additional assistance from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the rehabilitation and development of transitional systems for all tsunami affected areas, the building of the Wastewater Treatment Plan at Sogi funded through an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan and which was commissioned in June 2010, the construction of sludge disposal facilities at Tafaigata and Vaiaata (Savai‟i), the development and adoption of national water quality standards against which sector performance continued to be assessed, drainage improvements, approval of new water and waste water tariffs and the implementation of a comprehensive capacity building program across the sector funded through the Technical Cooperation facility. Telecommunications The strengthening of the regulatory framework had reaped benefits for the telecommunication sector. The privatization of SamoaTel was successfully completed in March 2011. The separation of Samoa Post Limited from SamoaTel as an independent Public Body was completed in 2008 as part of the restructuring program for the privatization of SamoaTel. The Office of the Regulator (OOTR) dealt with the issuing of licenses for businesses in the sector. The Computer Services Limited (CSL), Digicel and SamoaTel were granted international gateway licences with access to the submarine cable since 2010. Improving domestic connectivity infrastructure through internet usage remained an ongoing focal area for the sector. The submarine cable has supported the satellite connectivity as an alternative to improve internet connectivity.
A submarine fibre optic cable was commissioned in May 2009 and this had resulted in higher internet access speeds for Samoa as well as increased subscriber connections. This fibre optic cable network is between American Samoa and Samoa and provided a good alternative to the more costly satellite services. Nevertheless, the lifespan of the current cable ASH is limited, and regulatory reform would be required to reduce high retail costs. Samoa with the
assistance of the World Bank would need to identify least cost options for a new broadband cable, although final decisions on routing options would depend on whether a proposed new cable between NZ and the US goes ahead. Transport The Law Reform Commission (LRC) had completed the review of the Civil Aviation Act 1998, Ministry of Works Act 2002, Marine Pollution Prevention Act 2008, Ministry of Transport Act 1978 and the Shipping Act 1998 all of which are administered by the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MWTI). The National Infrastructure Strategic Plan (NISP) was launched in October 2011. Works were yet to begin on the formulation of a specific Transport Sector Plan. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) was set up in July 2009 to ensure coordinated planning and regulation of land transport. Works that had been completed under the Samoa Infrastructure Asset Management Project Phase 2 include: road widening between Malifa and Lepea including bridges footpaths and bus stops construction and the feasibility study for the construction of the shorter inland road between Apia and Faleolo Remaining works included the continuation of road widening to Vaitele and upgrading of Togafuafua bridge. The Air Services Agreements which Samoa entered into with other States had progressed from Standard Bilateral to Open Skies Bilateral Air Services Agreements with the advent of global deregulation and liberalization with the exception of the air services agreement with Fiji. An airport office of the meteorological Services was established in 2011. Baggage and ground handling services were contracted out to Oceania Aviation Company in partnership with the Samoa Airport Authority in 2011. Works on upgrading ports had been ongoing. The Aleipata wharf construction was completed in August 2009. However, the tsunami in September 2009 destroyed the wharf. The post tsunami reconstruction started in July 2010, and included a dry dock facility for Samoa Shipping Corporation‟s (SSC) vessels. The Aleipata wharf reopened in November 2010 for travel between American Samoa and Samoa. A new interisland ferry Lady Samoa III arrived in 2010 which was funded under Japan‟s Grant aid program. A sinking fund for vessel replacement was set up prior to the arrival of the new ferry. A public awareness campaign for the promotion of energy efficiency, environmentally friendly renewable energy options for the transport sector was actively pursued. This included vehicle trials running on bio-fuel and biodiesel with the support of the Scientific and Research of Samoa (SROS) and private sector. Business Legal and Regulatory Environment There was ongoing support for creating an enabling environment for doing business through legal and regulatory reforms. Relevant legislation which were reviewed and passed in the reporting period included the: Foreign Investment Amendment Act 2011, ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, Labour Employment Relations Act, Personal Properties Act 2012, Fair Trading Regulation 2010, Bankruptcy Amendment Act 2011, International dateline Act 2012, Intellectual properties Act and implementation of the new Companies Act and regulations.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of the Customary Land Lease Unit within the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment as well as the Customary Land Advisory Commission (CLAC) with the support of technical assistance provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Land Titles Registration Act 2008 became effective in March 2009. This legislation would provide support for improvements in the management of land leases executed through Samoa Trust Estate Corporation (STEC), Ministry of Natural
Resource and Environment (MNRE) and the Samoa Land Corporation (SLC). Subsequent reviews of land lease rates were approved by Cabinet. The Measures Ordinance 1960 deemed outdated was reviewed in 2011 and so was the Competition Policy Framework. The Government continued to provide support to the private sector through various schemes such as the Private Sector Support Facility (PSSF), Code 121 and the repealed Incentives Scheme. The new Companies Act brought improvements in processes relating to the registration of companies, issuance of foreign investment certificates and work permits. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) in close collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat developed a Micro, Small and Medium, Enterprises (MSME) policy. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) also undertook analytical work in Samoa, to explore options for a holistic approach to assist micro-enterprises and SMEs overcome key constraints to growth. Micro and SMEs themselves identified access to finance and markets as key constraints, while financial institutions identified lack of collateral and information asymmetry as key limitations they faced in expanding lending to SMEs. One potential option could be for International Finance Corporation (IFC), and other development partners, to work together to replicate a risk share facility that could encourage commercial banks to increase lending for micro and SMEs, including but not only in tourism. The Ministry for Revenue (MfR) began a program which focused on encouraging small businesses to adopt an income tax self-assessment process. This included providing guidelines. These services formed part of the work program of the Ministry under its institutional building program which started in 2010. Financial Sector Development A 5.7% increase in commercial bank lending to the private sector was recorded as of January 2012. The Personal Property Securities Act was approved by Cabinet in March 2012 and would be processed through parliament at its next session. This would allow moveable assets to be used as credit security. The Unit Trust of Samoa was established in 2011 to create opportunities for ordinary Samoans to benefit from the privatization of public enterprises and other investment opportunities. The Private Sector Support Facility (PSSF), which was launched in June 2008 supported a total of just under 200 projects were approved under the scheme since 2008. The Tourism Tsunami Rebuilding Programme (TTRP) was added to PSSF and catered for the reconstruction of beach fales that were affected by the September 2009 tsunami. One of the notable successes under the PSSF, was the establishment and commercialization of the Chili (bird eye species) farms to supply the Apia Bottling Company in the manufacture of Samoa‟s own chili sauce which is now exported to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand markets. A growing number of small businesses had access to microfinance, technical assistance and training through the Small Business Enterprise Centre‟s (SBEC), Small Business Loan Guarantee scheme, Women in Business Development Incorporated‟s (WIBDI) Microcredit, the South Pacific Business Development Microcredit scheme (SPBD) and the Development Bank of Samoa (DBS). Through the NZ Aid program a business mentoring program began in 2011 and executed through the Chamber of Commerce. Sixty five businesses had since received support through the program. Trade Policy
A Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) was completed and validated in 2010 with the support of the Integrated Framework for Trade facility for Least Developed Countries (LDC). The accession to World Trade Organization (WTO) was formalized in 2011. The National
Export Strategy (NES) was developed in 2008. One of the key activities identified for implementation was the establishment of a National Export Agency (NEA) but which had not yet materialized. A Trade Policy Statement was developed and finalized in 2009 but served only as a compilation of trade and trade related policies rather than as a trade strategy. As a party to Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), Samoa continued to apply preferential duty rates based on a reduction schedule to products originating from six (6) Forum Island Countries. As a Least Developed Country (LDC), all tariffs for products would reach 0% by 2017, with the exception of those on the negative list and alcohol & tobacco products. However, the rules of origin conditions would apply. The finalization of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) constituted work in progress. Proposed meetings between the Pacific ACP countries and the EU still had not taken place as there were still a number of contentious issues that needed resolution. Development Potential Scientific Research of Samoa (SROS) had concluded a number of research proposals on agro processing and renewable energy and were at the stage where the products were opened for the private sector to express interest in investing in the production. Such products included flour from breadfruit and cassava, avocado cooking oil and renewable energy technologies. Under the CODEX program, the Food Labeling Standards and Food Safety and Hygiene Standards were developed. Sanitary and phytosanitary standards were uploaded on ministry websites alongside market information. New work approved by the Codex Committee includes the Standard on Bottled Water and a Standard on Fat and Fat Content in Meat. The Fair Trading for Egg Standards Regulations 2010 was completed and approved. The Food Hygiene Standards was in its third draft since 2009 whilst awaiting the completion of the Food Bill. The Food Labeling Standards was in its second draft since May 2011. The Toy Standards had been with the Attorney General‟s Office for finalization since 2010. The national audits were carried out for pre-schools and school canteens. The Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labor (MCIL) continued to update its website to provide timely market information, including quarantine requirements to exporting businesses and farmers and promote investment opportunities. Quarantine and bio-security requirements were made available on the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) website, with links to the MCIL‟s website. Increased labour market integration, including increasing short term employment opportunities, continued to offer potential benefits for both Samoa and receiving countries. Moreover, Scientific Research of Samoa (SROS) recently attained international accreditation status of its chemistry and microbiology laboratories with International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) as fully compliant under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17025 standards for specific scopes of tests/analysis. This achievement helped boost and stimulate Samoa‟s exports, including improving local food quality and safety standards and potentially becoming Samoa‟s certified international accrediting authority that would testify the safety and conformance of local food products to international standards. Key Sectors: Tourism
Investment in tourism was promoted through the implementation of the Tourism and Hotel Development Incentive Act 2003 and Customs Amendment Act 2007. The guidelines were revised in accordance with the Customs (Tourism and Manufacturing Development) Regulations 2010. THE Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour (MCIL), Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry for Revenue (MfR) worked collaboratively in administering
the Duty Concession Scheme to promote the tourism industry. Tax holidays and duty concessions on imports continued to be offered under the appropriate legislations. The Tourism Development Plan 2009-2013 was launched in July 2009. Despite the challenges posed by the September 2009 tsunami, activities proposed in the Tourism Development Plan (TDP) were reviewed and most implemented. As part of the Mid Term Review for the Tourism Development Plan (TDP) a climate change adaptation strategy for the sector was developed in 2011. The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) continued to focus on marketing Samoa as a holiday destination in selected international markets. Key targeted outcomes included enhanced awareness of the destination, stimulated interest levels and converting such interest into demand. Ongoing pursuits included the development of attractions and activities as well as monitoring and upgrading of accommodation through regular product inspections. The physical improvements to the sites, activities and accommodation had been left to the businesses and communities whilst Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) provided advisory support in accordance with the Samoa Accommodation Standards. The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) established its electronic Tourism Circular in 2009 to ensure all stakeholders were kept informed of tourism developments and services available in the sector. A Workforce Plan for the tourism sector was developed in 2010 and implementation had begun with the support of the In Country Training Program delivered by the Oloamanu Centre of the National University of Samoa (NUS) in collaboration with the Australia and Pacific Technical College (APTC). The International Finance Corporation (IFC) in collaboration with New Zealand, had worked with the sector to develop a Tourism Investment Strategy in order to significantly scale up efforts to encourage new investment in Samoa, with a focus on tourism. Agriculture Several strategies were put in place to assist with the revitalization of the agriculture sector. The tariffs on selected imported agricultural inputs were eliminated on the 1st July 2008 pursuant to the Customs Tariff Amendment Act 2008. The lack of countervailing measures however led to flooding of the domestic market with heavily subsidized agriculture substitutes. The Agriculture Sector Plan (ASP) 2011-2015 was launched on the 15th July 2011. A Steering Committee for the Agriculture Sector Plan (ASP) was approved by Cabinet to coordinate and spearhead the implementation of the plan at the national level. Reinvestment in the sector was evident in the lengthy preparations for the US$13 million Samoa Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement project recently approved by the World Bank for financing. The project would provide for, amongst other things, the establishment of an abattoir and mobile slaughter houses. The stimulus package for replanting cocoa, coconuts and coffee was endorsed by cabinet in May 2010 and the implementation process commenced in the first half of 2010/11 with the registration of farmers, land and farm inspections and the distribution of planting materials. The provision of public service support to agricultural development (research, extension, quarantine, regulation, marketing information and physical infrastructure) continued to be facilitated through sector coordination. The Samoa Sino horticulture project provided demonstration farms for vegetables and fruit tree production which attracted huge interest from the farming communities. The Farmers society continued to draw on the expertise and good practices promoted through the demonstration farms to address their supply constraints in meeting demand generated through their linkages with the tourism sector.
Fisheries The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) continued to deliver public sector support services for fisheries development through research and extension, monitoring and regulation of vessels, monitoring of fish catches and sales, aquaculture hatcheries and surveillance of the EEZ to control illegal fishing. The implementation of the Vessel Monitoring System, the installation of ice making machines for the fishermen and the extension of the fisheries wharf contributed to the overall development of the industry. The extension of coverage of the Community-Based Fisheries Management Program (CBFMP) had strengthened the fisheries industry reflected in increased and renewed community participation. The Tuna Management and Development Plan 2005-2009 had been updated and implemented. The current Tuna Management and Development Plan 2011-2015 was launched in the beginning of 2011. The implementation of tariff reductions on business inputs to support fisheries development was effective on the 1st July 2008. The contribution of fisheries to GDP started on a downward trend with the closure of the cannery in American Samoa. Commerce and Manufacturing The development of the Salelologa Township and the Vaitele produce market had not attracted the anticipated level of commercial interests. Some of the facilities involved are underutilized. Similarly development of land at Falelauniu which were made available to the public on a concessional residential lease basis had been slow even with the readiness of the government to provide the infrastructure (sealed roads, electricity and water) to this area. The Commerce sector continued to be dominated by retail outlets throughout the country while the manufacturing sector remained small and dominated by agro-processing and the Yazazki automotive wire harnessing plant for the export market. Manufacturing in Samoa would always be constrained by the distance from main international markets and its small size (in terms of both land and population), which combined led to a small local market and lack of economies of scale. However, and though small, the commerce sector would always play an important role in promoting inclusive growth, poverty reduction and direct and indirect employment creation through the expansion of domestic market. Sports Development The National Sports Policy was launched in July 2010 and its implementation soon followed with financial support from the Australian Sports Commission. The Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee had secured the hosting of international sporting events in the past with the support of the Sports Facility Authority providing and maintaining compliance with international standards of existing sports facilities. The Oceania National Olympic Committee conducted an administration course for sports administrators whilst the National University of Samoa (NUS) offered for the first time a Diploma in Sports Management and Certificate in Sports and Fitness. The Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) members continued to promote elite performance programs to upgrade skills of athletes. A number of sports codes had received allocations under the Government budget. Goal 3: Improved Education Outcomes Education indicators/targets are presented in Appendix 1, with the baseline data to be used in future evaluation of education outcomes.
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) in collaboration with the other key agencies of the sector conducted a mid-term review of the “Strategic Policies and Plan 2006-2015 in 2011 led by the Policy, Planning and Research Division out of which a
reprioritization of focal areas to address in the medium term was made. Support for early childhood education included the training of teachers funded under the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) and Faculty of Education (FOE) sponsorship program. The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) in collaboration with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also developed a handbook for parents to support the physical and mental development of their children. In primary education the new curricula and teachers‟ manuals were completed under the multi-donor funded Education sector program and would be trialed in schools for full implementation in 2012. The Minimum Service Standards for schools were approved and rolled out in 2010 with the start of the Samoa School Fee Grants Scheme jointly funded by the Governments of New Zealand and Australia. The Scheme provided access to free education at primary level for all except private schools with the dual aim of achieving universal primary education by 2015 as well as improved learning outcomes. Under the Education Sector program, 11 secondary schools were refurbished and/or reconstructed to fit the changes in the secondary curricula with regards to the teaching of applied and vocational subjects as well as the roll out of the introduction of Year 13 at all secondary schools. The fast track program to increase teachers‟ numbers was introduced under the National Teacher Development Framework and involved close cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) and the National University of Samoa (NUS), Faculty of Education. For the improvement of Post-Secondary Education and Training (PSET), the Samoa Qualification Authority (SQA) continued to foster strong partnership with PSET providers and its stakeholders to gain feedback towards a more forward looking approach to PSET development. The Strategic Plan for PSET 2008-2016 was launched in June 2008 and a Rolling Corporate Plan mechanism developed to deliver on the implementation. Other achievements under the Strategic Plan included the development of a communications strategy and the SQA newsletter to inform the PSET providers and stakeholders on the progress of activities, development of quality assurance policies, processes, standards and the Samoa Qualification Framework (SQF) as well as the Guidelines for Recognition of Non Formal Learning. NUS established a strategic approach for PSET through normal appraisal of academic staff in collaboration with SQA and semester appraisal of courses and staff by students. For the improvement and alignment of qualifications to national needs, SQA completed the standards for national qualifications in the agriculture, and tourism and hospitality sectors The development of national qualification standards for traditional knowledge and skills, employability skills and the trade sector were yet to be completed The development of national qualifications standards would help to focus Post Secondary Education and Training (PSET) on the skills and knowledge required for work in each sector thus ensuring relevance of qualifications to national needs. The Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) provided courses in pursuit of up-skilled and refocused industry needs and community and health services.
Significant support for Inclusive Education was made available under the Samoa Australia partnership. The Samoa Inclusive Education Development Program (SIEDP) demonstrated 3 strategic outcomes in the review period. There had been improved access, retention and progression for boys and girls with disability throughout the country. Through SIEDP support 331 children with disabilities had access to schools in Samoa a 54% increase since 2009 and 129 children received early intervention support. Families and communities were increasingly advocating and supporting the right to inclusion of all children with disability in all aspects of Samoan society as a result of extensive education and community awareness campaign evident in the increase in number of referrals of children with disability. Establishing a policy and practice environment committed to continuous improvement in inclusive education had
not yet taken roots. An inclusive education adviser had been appointed in MESC however an inclusive education policy had not been completed and the mainstreaming of inclusive education into MESC operations and the expected research based on program experience had not yet begun. A small grants scheme for inclusive education was initiated in 2009 and provided support for over 24 schools and institutions. MESC developed a Sports Policy in 2010 which included a focus on the promotion of sports development in schools and communities and implemented through programs such as Fiafia Sports and Community Outreach funded by AusAID. The new health and Physical Education (PE) curriculum for primary schools was completed in January 2011 and was being trialed in schools. The health and Physical Education (PE) subject was in its second year as an examinable subject in the Pacific Senior School Certificate (PSSC) exam. The Faculty of Business and Entrepreneurship offered a Diploma in Sports Management and Certificate in Sports however continuation of the course could not be confirmed. MESC continued to work with Special Needs schools in developing and promoting sports for people with special needs through an annual Special Needs games. A Culture Policy was developed with the support of United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) but was yet to be approved by cabinet. The National University of Samoa (NUS) implemented a language policy, which made Samoan a compulsory subject for all Foundation Year students and ensured inclusion in the communication courses delivered at the Institute of Technology. The Centre for Samoan Studies (CSS) had developed and restructured its programme to allow the offering of a Bachelor of Samoan Studies (BSS) degree. The bilingual policy of MESC was implemented through the new primary school curriculum and facilitated through the use of a bilingual language handbook developed for this purpose. School librarian appointments were made to schools as a means to improve library services with complementary support provided under the school fees grants scheme to purchase reading and learning materials. The Curriculum Development component of the Education Sector program also provided for the development of quality multimedia teaching and learning materials including school readers which were distributed to all schools. Strategic activities on reviewing and improving assessment and school qualifications policies and systems had been strengthened. The new National Assessment Policy Framework was launched in July 2010 and implementation started in 2010/11. The strategic plan for the localization of the Pacific Senior School Certificate (PSSC) was completed in December 2010 and trialed in 2011. Improving learning through the use of new communication technologies in education remained the focus of the School-net and Community Access program funded by ADB as well as the pilot One Laptop per Child program. In this connection also a Mobile Computer Laboratory was launched in September 2009 with the assistance of United Nation Development Programme (UNDP). Through the School-net Program, school based training for 37 secondary schools started in 2010 while completion of infrastructural development and the procurement of new learning materials would be expected by the end of 2012. Emphasis was also placed on strengthening of asset management and maintenance. The School facilities handbook was amended in alignment with the Minimum Service Standards and would assist schools with the maintenance of school buildings. Strengthening the management of education services was supported through the development of an Education Management Information system. The education sector was organizing itself to transition to a program of sector budget support.
Goal 4: Improved Health Outcomes Health indicators/targets presented in Appendix 1, provided the baseline data intended to be used in the future evaluation of health outcomes, as well as provided a historical data series that permitted the analysis of trends. In view of achieving its goal of Improving Health Outcomes, the Ministry of Health (MOH) with all the sector stakeholders continued to focus on addressing the implementation of strategies as detailed in the Health Sector Plan 2008-2018 principally through the multi donor funded sector program that centered on Health promotion and primordial prevention, quality health care service delivery and strengthening the policy and regulatory oversight of the health system. Activities completed included village health fairs which represented a new approach to providing primary health care at village level and achieved unprecedented coverage and were in effect a trial for utilizing public private partnerships. Work towards the establishment of the Health Promotion Foundation was progressing well. Community participation in health promotion was supported through village exercise and nutritional improvement programs carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development (MWCSD). Health promotion and prevention programs for Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) were successfully rolled out in the communities utilizing sports (rugby) role models. The Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) Hospital Master Plan was finalized as so was the Clinical Services Plan and both were crucial to inform the infrastructural developments such as the completed Ministry of Health headquarters and new hospital as well as other planned health services delivery facilities including those in the rural areas. The independent review of the health reforms resulting in a separation of regulatory functions from service delivery was completed in early 2011 and reinforced the justification of the decision for the reforms. The demographic Health survey was carried out in 2009 which provided important baseline data for forward planning and programming. The medium Term expenditure framework for the sector plan was twice reviewed and the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework was completed and officially launched in early 2011. Annual sector reviews were done through the national health forums and sector consultations were carried out on a monthly basis. Through a technical cooperation arm of the health sector program, technical assistance was made available to provide the analysis towards viable health financing options. Goal 5: Community Development: Improved Economic and Social Wellbeing and Improved Village Governance Community development indicators/targets presented in Appendix 1 provided the baseline data intended to be used in future evaluation of outcomes for the sector. The Samoan culture is fundamental to community development. The Ministry of Women Community and Social Development (MWCSD) had prepared a Village Governance Strategy which focused on strengthening village structures and application of the principles of good governance within village systems. The ministry continued to provide support to nongovernmental organizations that provided frontline services to victims of violence and abuse. A youth development program TALAVOU was brought to a close in early 2011 after the development of a revised Youth Policy and a database management system on youth issues.
The Ministry of Police and Prisons (MPP), community representatives and MWCSD worked closely to promote awareness raising of crime prevention strategies and a proactive approach towards maintaining community safety and security involving community participation. The Neighbourhood Watch Programme (NWP) was developed and started with Vaitele. A mobile police station was deployed and new outposts were set up at Afega, Lalomanu and Vaitoomuli. The National Crime Prevention Policy was developed and endorsed in 2010. The Law and Justice Sector Plan focused on ensuring a safe and secure Samoa. A sub-committee of the governing arm of the Law and Justice sector, (Fautasi Committee) was set up to consider ways by which there could be harmonization of the traditional justice system and that of modern day law. Ongoing commitments for the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) included implementation of the national action plans for Women and Children in connection with the respective policy frameworks and in alignment with outstanding commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC). The Child Protection baseline research undertaken with the support of United Nation International Children‟s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was completed in 2011 and served to provide the foundation against which progress would be measured of child protection services and programs already underway. The Disability Taskforce was approved by cabinet in October 2008. The National Policy for Persons With Disabilities 2009-2012 was approved by cabinet in April 2009. The Ministry continued to facilitate resource mobilization and established a focal point officer position for the coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the national policy as well as ongoing initiatives for persons with disabilities. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) continued to support improvements in land and marine based food security through the provision of planting materials, crop-focused extension services and extension of the village fisheries management plans. The establishment of the Civil Society Support Program in 2010 provided the opportunity for community groups to obtain financial support for their development projects including capacity building for registered Non Government Organizations (NGO). Civil Society Support Program (CSSP) co-funded by the European Union (EU) and AusAID was envisaged as a good basis to reflect on the meaningful engagement of civil society in the national development framework. Civil Society Support Program (CSSP) also provided the opportunity for established Non Government Organizations (NGO) to play key roles in program delivery. Goal 6: Improved Governance The three key indicators for improved governance included: a) improved score for Government Effectiveness in World Bank Governance Indicators b) the PASP Secretariat evaluation report (indicators to be determined) c) improved score for Rule of Law in World Bank Governance Indicators. Public Administration The institutional strengthening program for the Audit Office was completed in 2010. Ongoing programs included those of the Statistics Bureau, Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (MPMC) and the Ministry for Revenue (MfR).
The evaluation of the Public Service realignment started at the end of 2010. With the findings yet to be made public, it was noted that the number of new authorities now set up and operational had superseded the number of ministries that were realigned in 2003. The interface between the government and communities continued to be provided by the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development (MWCSD) through regular meetings with Sui o le Nuu, Sui Tamaitai o le Nuu, church ministers and youth leaders. The improvement of policy development and coordination reform program started in 2008 with an institutional strengthening program for the policy coordination unit of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (MPMC). Some initial outputs included the Cabinet handbook and a draft Policy Manual both of which were being reviewed and consulted on. The strengthening of good governance and accountability reform programme has been an ongoing strategic area. The Cabinet played a key role in enforcing and ensuring that good governance and accountability was maintained. The investigation for the possibility of implementing a Leadership Code has been ongoing. The Audit Office‟s Institutional Strengthening Program (ISP) was started in September 2008 and completed in April 2011. The Audit Office‟s ISP is expected to improve the quality of the Audit Office‟s work and service delivery by strengthening of business management and financial audit, establishing information technology audit and performance audit. ISP is also expected to strengthen the legislative framework, human resource management as well as information technology infrastructure. The human resource management information system administered by the Public Service Commission (PSC) was piloted in selected line ministries. Public Financial Management Phase 1 of the Public Finance Management Reform program was completed in early 2011 which achievements included the development and passing of the Aid Policy and Debt Management Strategy, State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) reforms which had given way to the restructuring of the governing boards of all SOEs, a full review of all finance sector systems and procedures and the adoption of an outcomes based budget with forward estimates. All but three of the 15 sector plans were completed though most needed to complete the associated expenditure and monitoring and evaluation frameworks. The first phase of the Institutional Strengthening Program (ISP) for Inland Revenue started in November 2010. State–Owned Enterprise Reform The strengthening of entrepreneurial governance and development of reform program for SOEs had resulted in the removal of ministers and officials from SOE boards. Board membership was selected based on an expression of interest process and selection was carried out by a Cabinet appointed Selection Committee. The privatization of the Samoa Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) and the SamoaTel were completed in 2008 and 2011 respectively whilst the Agriculture Store Corporation (ASC) was expected to proceed within the 2012/13 financial year. The Office of the Regulator for Telecommunication had been established in 2009. The establishment of the Regulator for the Power Sector was in progress. The Unit Trust Office of Samoa (UTOS) was set up and launched in July 2010. Statistical Development Slow progress had been achieved in improving data collection systems. The Bureau of Statistics started its institutional strengthening program in 2011 and had since completed the National Strategy for Strategic Data Development for the next 10 years. The agriculture census was completed in 2009, the demographic survey in the same year and the Population and Housing census in 2011.
The management of the border control system continued to make good progress with increasing capability to capture people involved in international criminal activities. The Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS) and Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) were granted access to the Border Management System (BMS) to capture the movement of people in and out of the country. The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) was set up within the Cabinet office as part of the institutional strengthening program. The Ministry for Revenue (MfR) continued to play a key role in strengthening border security through improvements in organizational efficiency through on the job training of customs officers and the formation of the Joint K9 Unit which assisted greatly in combating illegal drugs at ports of entry. Operations had expanded to include the Post Office and the Marina Wharf at Matautu. Law and Justice As part of the legislative reform programme the Law Reform Act was passed in 2008 and the Law Reform Commission was set up in October 2008. The Law Reform Commission was now a stand alone government agency as of 1st July 2011 as it was no longer a division of the Attorney General‟s Office (AGO) and its focus was on updating all outstanding legislations. The Ministry of Justice, Courts and Administration (MJCA) completed a legislative review of the Divorce and Matrimony Act 2010, Maintenance and Affiliation Amendment Act 2010 and Film Control Act 2010. The strengthening of the Legislative Drafting Division of AGO had removed the need for repositioning the drafting division. The Attorney General‟s Office had reviewed its internal systems that needed improvement and its communication systems with other government ministries identified in its Corporate Plan 2008-2011. The legal interface between Attorney General‟s Office (AGO) and ministries had greatly improved through the use of the Legislative Drafting Handbook and regular meetings of the management of the Attorney General‟s Office (AGO) and in-house counsels of all Ministries. The Rules for the Conduct of Government‟s Legal Business was being reviewed and updated. The institutional strengthening for the Ministry of Police and Prisons (MPP) in its current phase was supported by the Australian Federal Police. Additional resources provided through the Law and Justice sector program had provided for the rehabilitation of the prison and youth correctional facility. The Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration ISP funded by New Zealand was completed in 2009 with resultant improvements in systems policies and staff capacity building. The Courts Complex and Ministry of Justice new offices were opened in 2010. The Institutional Strengthening Program (ISP) for the Ombudsman was near completion. Legislation that had been finalized for the sector in the reporting period included the Land and Titles Court Act and the Crimes Act. The review of the Evidence Ordinance and the Supreme Court Civil Procedure Rules was completed. The improvement of information and human resource management in the law and justice sector was facilitated through the completion of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) infrastructure capability of the sector which supported the digitization of Lands and Titles Court records and the implementation of the Human Resource Management Plan. Goal 7: Environmental Sustainability and Disaster Risk Reduction
To ensure sustainable development, there is a need to be updated on the state of the environment so that issues, challenges and risks could be assessed and addressed in a timely manner and appropriate interventions made. In this regard the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) is considered the appropriate agency of the government to provide the technical advice and scientific analysis to inform decisions on the best blend of social,
economic and environmental considerations. Environmental impact assessments and development consents legally are considered an integral part of the planning and appraisal process of all development projects. Enforcing compliance with the Planning and Urban Management Act 2004 had been gradual but progressive due to aggressive awareness raising campaigns and regular follow up and monitoring visits to the approved development sites. MNRE not only coordinated and developed the policy framework for the National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA) but also implemented activities under the various sector adaptation plans. In many ways, this detracted many sector stakeholders from assuming ownership of their work programs and considering the best ways to integrate adaptation and mitigation strategies into their respective sector plans. The unsustainable exploitation of marine resources for so long led to the development of 5 marine protected areas (MPAs), Safata, Aleipata, Poutasi, Matareva and Palolo Deep. Around 20 „no take zones‟ were developed within the Safata and Aleipata marine protected areas (MPAs). The latter sustained extensive damage during the tsunami. Recovery work carried out in the Aleipata marine protected areas (MPAs) included the remarking of „no take zones‟ and replanting of immediate coastal areas and mangroves. Through the coastal Fisheries Community based program, a considerable number of marine reserves were set up in collaboration with the villages involved. Despite the high levels of solid waste generation, adequate waste management practices had been instituted. Landfills at Tafaigata and Vaiaata were set up using the Fukuoka method. Sludge facilities were also constructed at the landfill sites to cater for solid waste disposal from the Apia Sewerage Treatment Plant. Effluent water quality standards were set in collaboration with the Secretariat Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). A pilot scheme for the rehabilitation of septic tanks in the pockets of residential areas around the central business district was implemented. Efforts to improve land conservation and management focused on managing forest areas including the continuing assessment of forest protected areas, conservation of forest resources on Savai‟i and enhancing management capacity for National Parks and National Reserves of Samoa through a technical cooperation program with the Government of Japan in 2009. Forestry rehabilitation programs involving re-vegetating of coastal areas were implemented for all tsunami affected areas in early 2010. Where seawall construction was required, tree planting followed once a seawall was completed otherwise tree planting was encouraged for all low lying coastal areas. MNRE continued to encourage agro-forestry through engaging village leaders and communities in the formulation and implementation of conservation and regeneration activities within traditional farming systems in a program funded by AusAID in 2011. Water Abstraction Licensing Scheme was introduced to control and regulate surface and groundwater use. Several donor funded projects have been implemented within the framework of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and the National Invasive Species Strategy (NISS) with the support of the community for the conservation of biodiversity. Eradication of invasive species of rats first began on Nuulua and Nuutele islands, off shore of Aleipata. Other programs included the removal of five main invasive tree species on Mount Vaea at the Vailima Reserve and the Myna Control Programme.
With the emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions exploration of viable renewable energy options had begun, as well as consideration of activities that promoted energy efficiency complemented by public education and awareness programs. The National Energy Coordination Committee was set up to appraise all energy related proposals before
submission with a recommendation to Cabinet. Other sources of renewable energy explored to date were solar power, wind power, coconut oil, jatropha oil and biomass gasification technology. To minimize adverse impacts of climate change on vulnerable villages and coastal areas, MNREM and MWTI collaborated in the implementation of integrated mechanisms such as the coastal protection construction or riverside protection infrastructure that are complemented by replanting programs. These approaches aimed at enhancing the resilience of coastal, riverside residential properties and communities‟ assets that are highly vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion impacts. A first step towards strengthening disaster risk management through the Disaster Management Office (DMO) involved the review of the National Disaster Management Plan in February 2011 to identify gaps and weaknesses that emerged during the tsunami. Furthermore the Government endorsed the concept of integrating disaster risk reduction with climate change in the national planning framework. Tsunami evacuation mapping and signage informed by science based hazards assessment was a post tsunami activity supported by the Government of New Zealand. The tsunami hazard assessment and inundation modeling for the whole of Samoa was completed in 2011. New premises for the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) were constructed at Faleata. Disaster management plans for all tsunami affected villages were completed as well as the construction of escape routes for selected villages. The United States government contributed to the funding and installation of the earthquake and tsunami monitoring system in the Meteorology Office with a backup system at the office of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). The Samoa Fire and Emergency Service Agency (SFESA) established a mobile Emergency Communication Unit (ECU) which needed to be improved upon in order to extend coverage throughout the country. SFESA was involved in the development of a national emergency telecommunication plan for emergencies as well as the setting up of Volunteers for Emergency program. A National Fire Plan was formulated and approved in early 2009. SFESA continued with the implementation and management of training in pre hospital medical treatment and trauma treatment that started in July 2009. The construction of a Regional Training Facility in Samoa for the specific purpose of response preparedness and capability in times of emergencies and natural disaster was in progress.
Appendix 1 SDS 2008−2012 Indicators
3 Rebasing of Consumer Price Index in 2009/10. 4 The CBS calculates the gross international reserves cover of imports (f.o.b.). 5 Private sector employment is estimated approximately as total formal sector employment minus employment in the public administration and electricity and water sectors
6 Doing Business Indicators are sourced from
www.doingbusiness.org and the Regulatory Quality component of Governance Indicators are sourced from
www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/govdata. Regulatory Quality focuses on policies, including measures of the incidence of market-unfriendly policies such as prices controls or inadequate bank supervision, as well as perceptions of the burdens imposed by excessive regulation in areas such as foreign trade and business development
7 Data are sourced from
www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/govdata. Government effectiveness encompasses the quality of public service provision, the quality of the bureaucracy, the competence of civil servants, the independence of the civil service from political pressures, and the credibility of the government‟s commitment to policies.
8 Data are sourced from
www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/govdata. Rule of Law measures the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society. These include perceptions of the incidence of crime, the effectiveness and predictability of the judiciary, and the enforceability of contracts.
9 This figure is adopted from the SWA household survey conducted under the Samoa Sanitation and Drainage Project (SSDP) in late 2006 which only includes 13 villages of the urban area. The villages covered were Fugalei, Savalalo, Saleufi, Taufusi, Togafuafua, Tufuiopa, Leifiifi, Maluafou, Aai o Niue, Apia, Tauese, Matafele and Vaimoso. 10 Calculated from data in Water for Life – Sector Plan, p.22. [SWA coverage of 68% of population, with one-third of the 68% having access to treated water].