10 Private Sector Organisations get $250,000 Government Grants

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 26 JULY 2022: Ten Private Sector Organisations (PSO) registered under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour received their annual grant allocations from government budget 2021-2022 today.

The annual PSO grant totals to $250,000 and was approved by Cabinet to assist with PSOs’ administrative operations amid impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic ad distributed through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour.

MCIL Minister, Leatinuu Wayne Sooialo presented 10 eligible PSOs their approved grants, acknowledged their contribution to Samoa’s economic growth and job creation and encouraged their continuous partnership with the Government.

The grant provide crucial support for eligible PSOs to enable them to continue serving their members especially during the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic and impact on Samoa and the world economies.

The eligible organisations are those with commercial affiliations and are registered with MCIL under the Incorporated Societies legislation.

The PSOs need to meet set criteria to determine the amount of the grant to be awarded to them.

These include the PSO’s registered membership; submission of strategic plans, annual reports and audited financial statements; active advocacy role; and progress of any development projects being undertaken by the PSO.

10 PSOs and the grants amounts received:

Samoa Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. – $50,000

Women in Business Development Inc. – $45,000

Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters Incorporated – $40,000

Samoa Hotels & Hospitality Association Inc. – $35,000

Business of Salafai Association Inc. – $25,000

Samoa Federated Farmers Inc. – $20,000

Savaii Samoa Tourism Association – $10,000

Samoa Mamanu Designs and Manufacturers Association – $5,000

Samoa Information and Technology Association – $15,000

Tautai Samoa Association – $5,000

Minister of Commerce Industry and Labour, Leatinuu Wayne Sooialo presents $15,000 grant to Samoa Information Technology Association President, Faasootauloa Sam Saili

President of the Samoa Information Technology Association, Faasootauloa Sam Saili told Talamua their share of the grant will go towards improving the e-learning project and upskilling their members to be up to date with the technology.

“The lockdown has had a huge impact on our e-learning project with the loss of teachers and volunteers so we couldn’t push through with the sessions,” he said.

The grant will go towards administration costs and allowances for staff and volunteers supervising training.

“But so far, e-learning is progressing, it’s vital and useful for the students going up to university levels so when they get there, they at least already have a solid introduction to online learning platforms used at NUS.”

The $15,000 presented to SITA will also be allocated to upskilling its’ members to keep up with the technology which Faasootauloa emphasized that ‘it’s always changing’ as well as progressing their knowledge in cyber-security threats.

“We’ll be doing workshops and trainings for literally all the programs we’re working on so we need the money for that,” Faasootauloa said.

Currently, SITA is also working on gender programs which conduct surveys on females’ participation in ICT.