“The main objective is to enhance the competitiveness of Samoa Made Goods and services, increase customer confi dence, increase exports, which will benefit our private sector, our communities through job creation and enhance livelihoods of our farmers and rural communities” – Tagaloa Eddie Wilson
The Samoa Association of Manufacturers & Exporters Association (S.A.M.E) hosted a training for “S.A.M.E International Certification (I.S.O) Programme” yesterday.
Held at Hotel Elisa, the training was co-sponsored by S.A.M.E and the Trade, Commerce & Manufacturing Plan (T.C.M).
The President of S.A.M.E, Tagaloa Eddie Wilson said, Samoa’s World Trade Organisation’s entry poses challenges for local goods and services to be competitive.
“To succeed in international trade, goods and service providers must not only be competitive, but they must also be internationally recognized,” he said.
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“The S.A.M.E I.S.O program promises to do exactly this, to enhance the competitiveness of our goods and services import substitute businesses and exporters but also create international recognition as being “I.S.O-Certified”.
The training was designed to help 10 companies in Samoa to become ISO 9001:2008 certified. Eight companies have already achieved the standards.
S.A.M.E and the government jointly promote the programme, in line with S.A.M.E’s Strategic Plan and the government’s S.D.S 2010-2014 Plan “Ultimately, this will improve the provision of goods and services provided by both the public and private sectors - and lead to the increased wellbeing of our people through more efficient services; competitive goods; increase job creation; and increase export earnings for our community and Samoa,” Tagaloa said.
In November 2013, S.A.M.E coordinated 25 Companies and organizations from Samoa to travel to New Zealand - and launched the ‘Buy Samoa Made' export program there.
In early August this year, S.A.M.E launched Buy Samoa Made Exhibition Centre at the Samoa House, also in Auckland.
“Following the success of this launch and the trade show last year the Government has asked S.A.M.E to establish a Buy Samoa Made Exhibition Centre in Sydney, Australia at the Samoa Consulate Office there.
“This project is planned to be launched in March 2015."
“The New Zealand export drive project will likewise be adopted for various other export outlets for Samoa taking into account the export (and) competitiveness development for our manufacturers and exporters and service providers.”
Tagaloa said the S.A.M.E ISO (International Certification Program) is carried out concurrently with its 'Buy Samoa Made' Export Drive Initiatives.
“The main objective is to enhance the competitiveness of Samoa Made Goods and Services, increase customer confidence, increase exports, which will benefit our private sector, our communities through job creation and enhance livelihoods of our farmers and rural communities.”
In addition to its ISO Certification and training program, S.A.M.E also plans to launch the H.A.C.C.P programme in November 2014.
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