Chamber of Commerce’s new chairman Taotasi Archie Soliai has outlined three goals and objectives of the new board during Wednesday night’s meeting of the private sector organization. The board was elected in late January this year.

The meeting, sponsored by Bluesky Communications, was held at DDW Restaurant, and was the first time that Taotasi addressed the Chamber after he was elected Feb. 8 by the board to be the chairman.

CONSULTATION WITH ASG

With the new Chamber board of directors in place, Taotasi outlined three goals and objectives — such as increasing consultations between government and te private sector. He says it’s “no secret that the private sector has not always seen eye-to-eye with government policies for many years.”

“It’s like that for many other jurisdictions, and we’re no different,” said Taotasi in his prepared speech for the meeting. “However, our resolve and commitment to make our community a business-friendly environment must be continued.”

He said the board has asked government leaders for more opportunities to be consulted and he believes the request is “being given serious consideration” by Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga and his cabinet.

“Once that door opens and the opportunity arises, let’s be prepared to sit down and provide meaningful discussion that can be beneficial for our community,” said Taotasi, who is a senior official with StarKist Samoa and a former faipule.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

The second goal and objective of the board is “skills development,” with Taotasi saying that Chamber members remain concerned about the skills and preparation of young people when they enter the workforce.

He says some Chamber members have “literally started up their own training programs locally in order to make a difference.” Additionally some members have even worked on innovative ways to develop their workforce.

“We’d like to help our private sector develop the essential skills that are needed to make your businesses work both productively and efficiently,” he said and requested feedback from members on the necessary training and skill sets critical to their businesses so that the Chamber can coordinate, facilitate and work together for that common goal.

“Skills are the currency of the 21st century economy and it is the extent to which our territory is able to offer a more highly skilled workforce than our neighboring countries,” he said. “Let’s work together to start that process and make it happen.”

ECONOMIC GROWTH

The third goal and objective, said Taotasi, is “growing the role of Chamber in driving economic growth.” He said Chamber members need to work together “to grow our role as the... Chamber, to drive economic growth.”

“We are all interconnected, all businesses large or small, are connected to each other,” he pointed out. “Because we are interconnected, we all have a responsibility to make things better, to improve our businesses and our people.”

To achieve three goals and objectives, Taotasi said the board has created — within the Chamber — four committees: Economic Development & Tourism; Education & Leadership/Professional Development; Government Affairs/ Tax Policy; and Membership, Benefits & Social.

He said each board member is on at least one committee to help facilitate the work they will do. “These goals are attainable if we all stand together. This is a new year, and you have a new Board,” he said, and urged Chamber members to help the board take the Chamber to the next level.

CHAMBER’S ROLE

According to the chair, the Chamber’s role is supporting business, and being a truly influential voice for business, it is at the heart of what the Chamber movement is about. He cited two primary purposes for which the Chamber was created and one purpose is to “preserve the system of free enterprise and to promote a better understanding with the government, of the beneficial role of private enterprise in the community.”

The second one is to serve as a forum where the business community can discuss its common aims and problems; future plans and, as necessary, formulate submissions to the government on matters of concern to the business community and act as its spokesman when required.

Other Chamber board members are vice chairman — Paul Young of the American Samoa Power Authority; treasurer — Joanne Rasmussen with ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank; and secretary — Filifotu Vaai Tinitali of the Bluesky Group.