With the generous support of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Pacific, the Division for Internal Affairs (DFIA) has been able to continue the coordination of compiling Village Bylaws (VB) and formulating of Village Sustainable Development Plans (VSDPs).  The formulation of VSDPs in particular is the continuation of an initiative that assisted Tsunami affected communities from 2009.  To date, a total of 14 VSDPs and 15 Bylaws have been completed for communities in Upolu and Savaii and an additional eight villages will complete the VSDPs and Bylaws by the end of 2015.

The VSDPs and Bylaws were developed at a low profile for communities, by communities.  This however did not stop the increase in their appreciation and recognition early 2014, as was utilized in collaboration with the US funded Community Coastal Adaptation Project (C CAP) for five communities that have also completed VSDPs and Bylaws.  In our efforts to ensure that these documents are recognised and appreciated by relevant Ministries and partners, we were also able to influence decisions at the policy level.  Hence, in project documents of several Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment programs, a reference to the compiling of Village Bylaws and formulating of VSDPs has been included.  These projects included the Integration of Climate Change Risks and Resilience into Forestry Management in Samoa (ICCRIFS), the Integrating Climate Change Risks in the Agriculture & Health Sector of Samoa (ICCRAHS), National Environment and Development Sector Plan (NESP) 2013 – 2016, the Environment and Conservation Unit’s Strategic Plan for Landscape Conservation, PUMA on Coastal Infrastructure Management plans, Climate Change and Adaptation, and others.  The PUMA division of the MNRE has also employed a community liaison officer to engage communities in the same way we have over the years, while in the process of reviewing the Coastal Infrastructure Management (CIM) Plans. 

The ACEO Division for Internal Affairs has also been invited to numerous forums and conferences by different Ministries and organizations, to present on the Bylaws and VSDPs.  Presentations were delivered at forums organized by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and most recently by the Public Services Commission (PSC).  We have also had graduate students researching, and including Bylaws and VSDPs in their studies.  Foreign students at the National University of Samoa, a Fulbright-Clinton fellow attached at the MNRE and interns have been interested in our process and methodology and included these processes in their research on village development in Samoa.  Certainly, we are making an impact and raising awareness of the principles of good governance, through these very important documents.  We again acknowledge with gratitude CLGF Pacific’s support for these two initiatives.

Article compiled and contributed by Sovala Agaiava, CLGF Samoa Village Governance Program Coordinator