Leadership Samoa; six years on

23 May 2016, 12:00AM

The Board of Trustees of Leadership Samoa (L.S.) has steered the organisation from a fledgling N.G.O. in 2010 to the high-achieving operation it is today. 

A recent study revealed that 43% of L.S. graduates have reported significant improvements in their professional standing since completing the programme, whilst others have been motivated to undertake further studies. 

This success was acknowledged when the Board met last Wednesday 11 May for the Annual General Meeting, at which distinguished academic and Deputy Vice Chancellor of NUS, Dr Desmond Mene Lee Hang was confirmed as continuing Chair of the Board. 

Also confirmed in continuing positions were Maryann Lameko-Vaai, General Manager B.S.P., as Treasurer and Manusamoa Christine Sa’aga, Director Corporate and Strategic Services, Ministry of Police, as General Secretary. 

The Board, all leaders in their own fields, has been instrumental in shaping the programme to best meet Samoa’s needs and to contribute their insights on leadership to participants.

The Board passed a vote of thanks to retiring Board members, Tofilau Tepa Suaesi recognising their valuable input over the years.

The Board also offered thanks to outgoing Alumni representative, Lafailelei Makereta Va’aelua and will welcome the newly elected Alumni representative and Chairman of the Leadership Samoa Alumni, Aiono Nafoitoa Keneti Peseta, also the Class Leader from the 2015 intake and Chairman of the Samoa Sports Awards powered by Taimua Samoa 2015. Input from L.S. Alumni is vital to renewal and maintaining relevance of the program. 

In a wide-ranging programme that spans government, private enterprise and community organisations across all sectors of Samoa’s economy, L.S. provides high level professional training to Samoa’s leaders of tomorrow.

It challenges participants to hone their leadership and problem solving skills. The programme is unique in that it provides the platform for emerging leaders to appreciate the bigger picture about the pressing developmental issues facing our nation today.Leadership Samoa fills a niche in the delivery of a holistic cross-sector professional development programme for emergent leaders. 

The program consists of leadership workshops as well as 25 study tours visiting the different sectors in Samoa.

The objective of the programme is to raise the awareness of emergent leaders of key political, economic, social, technological, environmental and cultural issues with potential to impact the development of Samoa, and thus ensure a pool of well-informed Samoan leaders prepared to tackle future opportunities and challenges.

Leadership Samoa was established in 2011 and currently operates with funding and support from the Pacific Leadership Programme (P.L.P.). PLP is a regional initiative of the Australian Government that recognizes the pivotal role of leadership in development. P.L.P. works at the regional level as well as nationally and sub-nationally through country programmes in Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

23 May 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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