The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) commemorated the National Land and Survey Services Day on 28 February 2023 at the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (TATTE) Samoa Convention Center.
The prayer service was conducted by Pastor Dr. Paul Matamua of the New Wine Worship Center church followed by the Keynote Address delivered by Hon. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Salesa Pose Schuster, MNRE Minister.
Lealaisalanoa Frances Brown-Reupena, Chief Executive Officer of MNRE facilitated the ceremony.
Entertainment highlighted the core messages of the day through traditional and contemporary environment and land related songs; and the mauluulu dance and a thematic skit highlighted the importance of land survey services.
“It highlighted the challenging encounters which are often faced by the surveyors on a daily/weekly basis involving mostly physical dangers and risks when carrying out surveying field work by the qualified surveyors including the surveying staff and assistants of the Technical Services Division,” said the Minister.
The presentations of the day by both Divisions mainly focused on the various services of MNRE such as (i) Technical Services (i) Land Surveying Services (iii) Spatial Quality Assurance (iv) and Spatial Mapping Services.
For Land Management, (i) Customary Land Leases, (ii) Government Land Leases, (iii) Land Registration Services, (iv) Land Valuation Services and (v) Land Developments.
More than 300 attended the National Commemoration Day and Official Opening Ceremony, and then stayed on for seminar presentations.
The Year 12 & 13 students from Samoa College, St. Mary’s College, St. Joseph’s College, Faleata College, Vaimauga College and Leifiifi College of the 10 schools or Colleges that were invited joined the celebration of the Day.
Men and women village representatives; Sui o le Nu’u and Sui Tamaitai o le Nuu of selected villages and districts also turned up to celebrate the commemoration of Land Management and Technical Services Day.
The Ministry highlighted the type of land services delivered to the public and private stakeholders on a daily basis by its various divisions.
A Q&A session followed where the audience were interactive, and had the chance to discuss some of the issues related to land management and technical services.
Information, knowledge and expertise as well as work experiences were shared during the presentation sessions to raise awareness of the raised such as surveying and valuation of lands as well as management of lands through systems and processes the Ministry has in place.
The Ministry acknowledges the support of the Government of Samoa through the Cabinet, the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC), the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD), and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) together with all the invited colleges which attended as well as the village community participants present.
