Keynote Address by the Honourable Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster at the Handover Ceremony for the Project for[...]

Tulouna ia le taeao'ula male aso ua mamalu. Auā o lenei, ua livaliva le foe a le Tautai o le mafua taulafo, au ua i liu foi o va'a le atu o aleaga.

Ua atu e, ai nei le faga i foa, ae fa'amalo le faga i pa'au. Auā o lenei ua o tatou fuati'a i ulupaga, pei ole upu i le faiva i malae. E vi'ia ai lava le Atua e fa'avavau, e pei ona alagaina le galu, ma si'itia le atumua e le Ositaulaga i lenei taeao.

• Malo fa'afetai i lau Susuga i le Taitai o le Sauniga
• Your Excellency Mr Senta Keisuke (Ambassador of Japan to Samoa)
• Chairperson of Samoa's Animal Protection Society Inc, Ms Johanna Coyle
• Ladies and Gentlemen

Taoto ia i le taputoa o alii seu paia fa'aifo gata o lenei taeao, auā ua aliitia le maota nei, ua leai se seu e toe laga vale. Ae o le a sunu'i tonu ia i afaga o malo se tautalaga mo le autū o lenei aso, o le moliamolia lea o se faafetai i le Malo o Iapani e tusa o le fesoasoani i le taavale mo le Faalapotopotoga o le Animal Protection Society.

On behalf of the Government and People of Samoa, I want to extend our appreciation to the Govenrment of Japan through your Excellency Senta Keisuke and the Japanaese Embassy in Samoa for the continued support in building the capacity of various organisations with pertinent roles in the development of Samoa.

Over many years, you have supported the funding of schools and important infrastructure such as wharves, ferries, and others, which are invaluable to the social and economic development of Samoa. Your support in the provision of JOCV which if I recall right, also included veterinarians are greatly appreciated. Lately, I am also seeing the extension of your support to funding vehicles that enable some organisations to function effectively. I was with you two weeks ago to receive your funding of machinery and vehicles for the SRWMA and now, I again stand here to extend appreciation for your donation of the pimped up vehicle for the APS that will enable them to better service our farmers and rural communities. Faafetai, faafetai tele lava.

APS has performed an important fucntion for Samoa since its inception almost 30 years, mostly, with limited financial and technical support and without its proper and due recognition. Yet you have perservered to provide a critical service for livestock, pets and animals in Samoa. This is even more important when one notes that we in Samoa many times over the years , have been without a qualified veterinarian. APS has answered the call to assist our farmers, families and even the Police when it comes to caring for animals. For this, I am eternally grateful, and it makes me even more grateful to the Govenrment of Japan, that this new vehicle will enable APS to extend the needed service to rural communities and do more housecalls.

APS has been a good friend to a lot of people, but many times, due to the limited staff and availability of a properly equipped vehicle, they are unable to save more animals.

I also want to extend a big faafetai to the tireless volunteers that have served in various role to keep the APS organisation functioning, this includes our local volunteers and the specialists and veterinarians from overseas. Some serve way longer than they initially were scheduled to, but due to your dedication and acknowledgement of the shortage of necessary staff, you stay longer.

The Government of Samoa in a small way has stepped up to provide support in terms of financial assistance to the operation, and provision of office space. I personally feel that we benefit more out of the partnership with APS than what we put in, but hopefully we can address this going into the future.

In closing, I want to again thank the Government of Japan for your continued support in over 50 years of partnership with Samoa, and look forward to many more years of fruitful relations.

For APS, I trust you will put this vehicle in great use.

Soifua ma ia Manuia, God bless.

July 21, 2023

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