Apia, Samoa – Samoa Chamber of Commerce held its first monthly Members Meeting for 2022 on
Monday 31st October 2022 at the Hotel Elisa Conference Room, after being on hold since the last members
meeting in November 2021 due to the lockdown. The Chamber Members Meetings serve as a forum for
all Chamber members and members of the private sector, to be given an update on the work conducted
by the Chamber Executive Council and Secretariat including policy issues being addressed to government
officials and the sharing of any upcoming opportunities for the business community. The October
Members Meeting for 2022 was sponsored by the PACER Plus Implementation Unit.
The October Members Meeting chaired by Chamber Vice President, Fa’aso’otauloa Sam Saili, was
attended by 45 Chamber members. During the meeting CEO Lemauga Hobart Vaai provided members
with a policy update focusing on private sector issues raised in the last quarter, including funding
opportunities for the private sector. Business Link Pacific Manager John Lemoa also updated members on
the programme’s Phase II, expected to start early 2023, in which Business Link Pacific and the SME Finance
Facility activities will combine into a single programme and extended to cover 12 Pacific Island Countries.
The Special Presentation for the evening was provided by Alipate Tavo, Trade and Investment Adviser of
the PACER Plus Implementation Unit. The presentation included what PACER Plus means for Samoa and
the role of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit, which works with Samoa’s focal point, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Chamber welcomes 21 new members to its membership since the last Members Meeting in October
2021. The meeting was followed by a networking session hosted by the PACER Plus Implementation Unit.