The first CEO Forum for FY 2015-2016 was held on the 27^th May 2016 at Hotel Elisa. CEO Forums provides an opportunity for all Chief Executives and leaders from the Public Sector to raise certain issues within their respective Ministries or Organizations.  Representatives present accumulated from 19 Ministries and 33 Organizations.

The two key areas covered included the Feasibility Study on the establishment of a Civil Services Institute and an update on the status of the NHRDP Plan. An update on the implementation of the Public Administration Sector Plan was also provided, as well as an overview of Training across the Public Sector presented by representatives from the PSC.

• Feasibility Study on the establishment of a Civil Service Institute
  The Feasibility study noted some problems faced by our human resource development and the possible causes, facts on how to improve public servants, some assumptions and options for a way forward. The main problem included an ineffective and inefficient public service human resource development system caused by limited or no resources allocated for human resource development. Other causes included the inequitable allocation of available resources among government employees and lack of standardized or robust training system that evolves with our shifting operating environment. Some of the effects involve the non-achievement of Government Goals and Objectives, lack of trust and confidence by general public in the service especially the no return on investment or waste of government resources.A possible solution is the establishment of the Public Service Training Institute for the purpose of designing, delivering or evaluating education and training programs to improve public sector capacity. Options were brought forward that the PSTI stands alone as an independent learning body, making PSTI as an extension of current PSC Human Resource Development Services and utilizing outside service providers or contractors.

• Update on the National Human Resource Development Plan 2015-2030
  The National Human Resource Development Plan 2015-2030 as presented, covered the background between national development/strategies and national HRD, the overview linkages between HRD & National Strategies, the purpose of the NHRDP, its goals, where are we now and where do we want to go or our way forward. According to the Samoa Development Strategy 2012-2016 one of its goals states Improving Life for All.This goal is divided into different priority areas; Economic Sectors, Social Policies, Infrastructure and Environment in order to improve the capacity and skills of our people. The improvement of our human resource development on its national level aims for all Samoans to have access to all stages of education, training programs and development.The development of our human resource ensures that every Samoan has the knowledge; skills and abilities to earn a living provide for themselves and their families and contribute to society, country and foremost ensuring that we have the right people to drive national economic development.Therefore, the purpose of the National Human Resource Development Plan is to ensure that Samoa has the necessary national human capital to achieve a better quality of life, improving linkages between national HRD and national strategic planning processes and systems and collecting or analyzing NHRD data in order to enhance evidence based decision making at the national level.In addition, our way forward in pushing through with this plan takes time it has become a living document and with the National HRD change does not happen overtime and working together in order for this plan to take place and be achieved.
• PASP Update
  The PSC also presented on the current status of the Sector Plan in terms of implementation. The Sector highlighted that it was continuing to work with implementing agencies to fully integrate activities under the Sector Plan within agency Corporate Plans. The PSC Corporate Plan was noted as an example, particularly as the activities in its Corporate Plan are derived from the PASP.The Sector highlighted key activities it had prioritized for the new FY2016/17. This included the final phases for the Functional Review, the second Government Service Delivery Survey (formerly known as Client Satisfaction Survey), work on the development of integrity standards, and the completion and implementation of thelong-term National Human Resource Development Plan.The Sector Secretariat maintains its stance on the importance of ongoing dialogue with its implementing partners. This is a key component to ensuring that all plans within the National Planning Framework for the Government are aligned and synchronized with the operational side. The Sector anticipates that each agency directly implementing each activity would work towards the inclusion of PASP activities in their Corporate and Management Plans.