Capacity building for Sanitation project

The Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E) conducted an important training at the S.T.A Fale yesterday.

The training is a key component of the Garden Toilets and Biogas Sanitation Treatment Systems Project, launched by Samoa Tourism Authority, the British High Commission and the M.N.R.E, during the S.I.D.S conference last year.

Yesterday’s training was to build the capacity of participants to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of the project.

Speaking during the opening, S.T.A Chief Executive Officer, Papali’i Sonja Hunter, said the project dates back to 1998 when it was first developed under the NZ government under what it was referred to then as Sustainable Tourism Indicators.

“This was to measure the performance of specific indicators to tell us how well Samoa is doing under sustainable tourism,” she said.

“Sustainable Tourism looks at areas such as how well are we keeping our environment, how well are we sustaining our culture and it also looks at the wealth and the health of not only the tourism industry but also our visitors.

“On how well do we engage them as well as the community tourism development areas?

“So when you look at sustainable tourism it’s a whole nation concept, it’s a whole nation phenomenon.”

Yesterday’s training was carried out by Mr Murray Ward.

“The main reason for the training today is to ensure that we have the attention of the sector as well as those stakeholders that will be part of the beneficiary group,” said Papali’i. “When you look at biogas, it has several environmental benefits in that it replaces the unsustainable use of biomass, it slows deforestation and reduces green gas emission.

“We are able to look into utilizing waste management but be able to put in the digester so we can gain some of the gas for cooking and everything else.”