The Government of Samoa believes in the role of Information Technology (IT) as an important driver for economic development which in the long run will lead to better livelihood opportunities for all Samoans. Hence the Government of Samoa supports all local, national and regional initiatives that improve our IT Infrastructure and IT Services in particular those that build the IT skills capabilities of our people.
Investing in IT training and building the critical mass of IT Specialists in our country will almost certainly create opportunities for local IT innovation designed as tailor-made fixes for our IT Infrastructural needs and required IT services.
The India-Samoa Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CEIT) project is not only timely, but also aligns well with the Government of Samoa’s IT plans of investing in the IT skills capacity building.
On 24 May 2017, while attending the regional India Pacific Summit for Sustainable Development in Fiji, our Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of State for External Affairs of the Government of India, signed an MOU to formalize the establishment of the India-Samoa Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CEIT). I understand that similar MOUs were signed for both Nauru and Fiji.
The National University of Samoa (NUS) is the Implementing Agency for the Government of Samoa, with its counterpart, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) for the Government of India. NUS provides the space and utilities to house this project, and CDAC was to set up the IT Infrastructure, provide initial trainers including course materials and reference books to deliver IT courses.
Despite the delays, I am happy to announce that between August 2018 and August 2019, four NUS staff have attended and completed the 6-months CDAC Training in Pune (India) to prepare them for the teaching of the CEIT courses. Two of them Dr Edna Temese and Vensel Chan completed the Post-Graduate Diploma in Advanced Computing, and the other two: Fiti Tolai and Fiafaitupe Tuiloma Lafaele completed the Post-Graduate Diploma in IT Infrastructure System and Security.
In August 2019, two trainers arrived from CDAC who together with the NUS trainers cooperated well to ensure all the necessary preparations were in place to establish and launch the India Samoa CEIT. Today marks the start of the 2-year pilot period after which all the equipment and materials will be handed over to NUS.
In this regard, I wish to extend to your Excellency High Commissioner and to Prime Minister Modi and the People of India, Samoa’s gratitude and thanks for this valuable project. It speaks volume to the warm and friendly relations between our two countries as well as our shared wish to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation in the area of Information and Communication Technology.
To conclude, I am confident that this India Samoa Centre of Excellence in Information Technology will make a significant contribution in the training of our people in specialized IT skills which in turn will translate to innovation that will drive economic growth in the future.
I now officially launch the India Samoa Centre of Excellence in Information Technology.
Soifua.
