are presented in order that home financing needs to 1983 can be addressed systematically in years ahead. D. The Manpower Development Plan: The underlining thought of this document is to identify manpower needs of the Territory to accommodate any demands from industries for skilled personnel and establish a process to ensure future needs identification and develop meaningful training programs. first section of the Plan is completed. The second phase which includes needs assessment and projection on future demands is underway. The Office of Manpower Resources and Development Planning are jointly working on this plan. E. The Quality of Life Plan (Comprehensive): Work has begun on the preparation of the Quality of life plan which addresses all the elements impacting the quality of life of the Territory. Such elements include resource management, culture, political, religion, recreation, social services, education, housing, utilities and economic development. essence of the plan is to ensure balanced growth for social, economic and political development for the Territory and to protect the people from any adverse effects resulting from pursuing advancement in the aforementioned areas. The economic plan identifies infrastructural requirements to be constructed prior execution of a particular economic project. For example, to promote transshipment means improving and expanding port facilities. Tourism development on the other hand means better airport facilities as well as the basic tourism infrastructure. The Government now has guidance for its future Capital Improvement Projects. Efforts are being generated based on the Economic potentials recommended in the Economic Plan to develop a capital improvement project plan to ensure balanced development. F. Territorial Planning Commission: The Commission has been actively involved in the development of the plans afore-enumerated. Members of the commission were selected from six planning districts and from the private business sector. All planning documents are reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission prior submission to the Governor for his approval. The Commission has been actively in reviewing economic proposals for business license to ensure that such proposals conform with the plan and that the economic benefits overweigh the costs to the people and the government. An Advisory Committee to the Territorial Planning Commission including all Department Directors, was formulated to assist the commission on review and development of projects. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT A. Agriculture: Much effort has been generated to increase agriculture production. Department of Agriculture together with the Development Bank approved 40 agriculture loans to farmers who wish to pursue commercial farming. Development Planning provided technical assistance in terms of proposal preparation and financial management. It would take a year before we can evaluate the success of this program. Agriculture Potentials: 1. Poultry Operation: Discussion and study have begun on the Western Samoa in feed production and marketing for the South 2. Piggery: Local individuals presently engage in small scale piggeries. Their basic problem has been the cost and availability of feed. 3. Hydroponics: Private individuals are investigating the B. Fisheries: Marine Resources is generating a lot of effort on improving the supply of fresh fish in the market. Assistance was provided by Marine Resources to individual fishermen to obtain fishing boats. Marine Resources is presently working on a multipurpose fishing vessel to be used to test and develop the fishing methods that would be suitable for the South and Central Pacific. In addition, experimental work is being conducted as shrimp, oyster, clams and bait fish aquaculture. Fishery Potentials: 1. Shrimp Farm: The Marine Resources has proven that shrimp The price of shrimp is enough to make such a venture attractive. 2. Dried and Smoked Fish: Dried and smoked fish is in great demand Tourism is Samoa's major potential area for growth per dollar of investment and per unit of effort. Efforts have been made to create an adequate visitor plant to foster materialization of a viable tourism industry. The basic problem the territory has, aside from transportation, is the absence of tourist activities. The Office of Tourism created three village tourism projects to occupy tourists visiting the island. The Office took a market promotional trip in 1978 to the West Coast of the United States and plans a similar trip to Australia later this year. The Government has awarded the bid for the expansion of the Airport which is currently inadquate. The existing hotel has improved substantially since taken over by local management. The hotel has been fully occupied recently. For the first time the hotel is showing a profit. Facility improvements and maintenance are being and continue to be made. Recognizing that the debt service of the Rainmaker Hotel property made any significant improvement in the hotel's financial position difficult, ASG with the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor, Department of the Interior purchased $1.9 million of the debt held by the Economic Development Administration at a large discount. Current hotel financial reorganization is pending outcome of personal injuries suit brought against the hotel, ASG and Americana Hotels, former manager of the hotel. Tourism Potentials: 1. Hotel: Continental Airlines commences service to American Samoa in May of 1979. The present hotel and motel facilities are insufficient to accommodate any substantial increase in the number of tourists. A second hotel is presently justifiable. Private individuals should be attracted to effect this venture. Manu'a is being considered as a possible site for a hotel. 2. Handicraft: Handicraft has not been given proper recognition for its potential as a revenue generator. Handicrafts have been handled haphazardly by individuals in the past. 3. Glass Bottom Boat: American Samoa has beautiful reefs 4. Mini Culture Center: This Center should provide cultural 5. Underwater Observatory: D. Industrial Development: This provides a very good Three companies have been granted leases at the Industrial Park by the Industrial Park Commission. Two others will submit application for the use of Industrial Park Land. These companies include: textile manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, electrical shop, automotive distribution and purse seiner net repair. A meat canning and cubing operation will open in March. The same company presently processes salt beef which is marketed locally as well as in the West Coast. A local retailer is constructing a shopping center in the Nuuuli area to accommodate its expansion project and provide space to local retailers. Concentrated efforts will be energized to promote the Industrial Park now that it is finally completed. Meetings were held with the Prime Ministers of Western Samoa and Cook Islands to discuss areas for economic cooperation. Such areas include: 1. Trade: American Samoa met with Cook Islands for possible Due to the existing demand for American products by Independent 2. Fisheries: The Governor has taken the lead role in 3. Tourism: Western and American Samoa have developed Management workshops have been conducted in cooperation with the Office of Minority Business and the Small Business Administration to improve local entrepreneurial skills. Several local businesses are undergoing expansion projects. The Chamber of Commerce has been revived and will provide the needed liaison service between the private sector and the government. Recent approval by Congress of $1million economic fund will help alleviate the problem of limited venture capital availability needed to assist business in their development projects. G. Statistical Development: Development Planning Office in collaboration with the Office of Samoan Affairs conducted a 100 percent survey to determine the composition of the population and to provide base data of skills availability to develop needs assessment and develop related training programs to meet skill needs. The results are being tabulated. Economic indicators are being developed. These include, employment/ unemployment, territorial income and consumer price index. Other indicators which are being developed include Gross Domestic Product, Cost of Living Index, and Input/Output model for the economy of the Territory. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT? REPLY: A reorganization plan for the Office of Manpower Resources has been completed; implementation is pending receipt of funds. The present office is being remodelled to better serve the public and to create a place for training sessions, seminars, written examinations and conferences. A new recruitment examining and placement program is being Training Territory-wide supervisory training classes for all government departments commenced in December, 1978 and will be on-going. In February, 1979, formal registered apprenticeship programs were begun in the Department of Public Works. A current IPA grant will be utilized this year to train Samoan personnel in middle management. As a participating member of the Pacific IPA Council, American Samoa will receive training for training instructors. Classification The overhaul of the government system in classification and pay administration is underway. The new Blue Collar Classification and Pay Plan went into effect November 12, 1978. The new white collar classification and pay system and the teacher pay system should be completed by June 30, 1979. WHAT ARE PLANS AND/OR PRESENT STATUS OF: EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT & DEVELOPMENT REPLY: The College has begun to stabilize its programs under the new president and with the support of the professional staff quality programming is inevitable. A Teacher Corps project for the professional development of teachers to staff the College's teacher education program, and to teach for the Department of Education has been funded, and this coming Fall will see the implementation of this training program in its second stage of development. This is a joint project of the College and the Department of Education. The Department of Education has made a strong commitment to implement its own in-house Inservice Training Program for its teaching staff. Inservice education of teacher here being defined as any professional development activity that a teacher undertakes in DOE conducted workshops, after receiving his or her initial teaching certificate, and after beginning professional practice. The emphasis of the monograph is placed primarily on Inservice Workshops for elementary teachers. For some secondary teachers, the DOE provides an opportunity for them to attend DOE-Brigham Young University on-island approved degree program. For purposes of clarification, this summary is organized into five sections as follows: A Brief History, Goals and Objectives, Program Implementation, Evaluation, and Recommendations. Brief History: Before 1970, the Feleti Teacher Training Program offered teacher education programs in elementary and secondary education. With the advent of the Community College of American Samoa in 1970, a four year pre-service training program for elementary teachers was established. In 1977-78, an Inservice Training Program for elementary teachers was designed and implemented by the Department of Education in close affiliation with the Community College. Goals and Objectives: The Department of Education has developed a unified program of in-service training for its elementary teachers in accordance with the following objectives as set forth by the Division of the Instructional Development, October 1977, and a proposed plan for DOE teachers Inservice Education Program. As stated, the objectives are: Based on needs assessment survey data (1977) the Department of Education designed, coordinated and are conducting inservice workshops for its elementary teachers in each discipline area. DOE curriculum specialists |