Samoa paused yesterday to honour the work of public servants.

A half day was declared for the public service as a part of an effort to recognise their work and contribution to the development of Samoa.

The event started with a parade on beach road attended by hundreds of public servants different government bodies.

The theme for this year’s commemoration was “Celebrating the Public Service of Samoa.”

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, said the Day is to ‘honour, reflect, celebrate, learn and inspire.’

“Today, we reflect not only on the quality of public service we’ve managed to deliver over the years, but also the commitments we’ve made to ensure we continue to aspire to be better than our best,” he said.

“I believe the public service stands or falls with the calibre of the people who work in it, and the way in which we, as public servants, succeed in addressing today’s challenges.”

The 6th Samoa Public Service Day also remembered and honoured many of those who had retired from the service and have passed on.

“As we observe this significant event, we pause to remember and honour the memories of those public servants who have passed on and are no longer with us." 

“We salute and acknowledge their important contributions and valuable achievements which no doubt lent to the improvement of public service performance while upholding the values and ethics of a truly accountable and transparent Samoa Public Service."

He reminded public servants to provide the solid and firm foundation upon which all the three prongs of Government rely and depend on. 

“Perhaps at times you may feel that your services have been taken for granted, that they go unrecognized and often criticized."  

“As public servants, we are just those – ‘servants of the public’, and while we may think that such a calling is demeaning.

“I extend to all the public servants of Samoa, which incidentally includes all of us, former and current, old and young, my own best wishes for all your various achievements – past, present and future, in the numerous endeavours you have and continue to be engaged in.”

Culminating the event was the presentations of the Public Service Innovation and Excellence Awards.

The 2017 Public Service Innovation and Excellence is the fourth of its kind for the Samoa Public Service.

This also provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate and recognize individuals and teams contributions that they have made to the development of Samoa and to meeting the needs of citizenry.

It is in the hope that the awards not only showcase and reward those that contribute their individual and team contributions but to also motivate existing Public Service employees and agencies to further promote innovative ways of providing a professional and competent Public Service that provides quality and coordinated service delivery to the people of Samoa.

Individual Award Categories were, Public Awareness Initiatives, Community Participation Initiatives, Organisational Development and Capacity Building Initiatives, Environmental Friendly and sustainable Development Initiatives, Customer Service/Service Delivery Initiatives, Inspirational Leadership and Recognition of Long Service and People’s Choice.

Team Awards Categories; Public Awareness Initiatives, Community Participation Initiatives, Organisational Development and Capacity Building Initiatives, Use of Technology/Information Management Systems Initiatives, Environmental Friendly and sustainable Development Initiatives, Customer Service/Service Delivery Initiatives, People’s Choice, Chairman of the Public Service Commission award for service delivery sector assessment, Most effective collaborative partnership with private sector organisation and Most effective collaborative partnerships with a non-governmental organisation.

2017 PUBLIC SERVICE INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE AWARDS AWARDEES FOR INDIVIDUAL AWARDS;

Individual Awards,

Public Awareness Initiatives - Folole Alapati & Katie Pogi – Meteorology Division.

Community Participation Initiatives - Leuluaialiiotumua Faagutu Samuelu – Vaatolu – ACEO Corrections, Enforcement & Maintenance Division, MJCA.

Organizational Development and Capacity Building Initiatives - Leota Aliielua Salani – ACEO Finance Statistics Division, Samoa Bureau Statistics.

Inspirational Leadership - Fuiavailili Egon Lincoln Keil – Commissioner, Ministry of Police

Recognition of Long Service- Marie Margaret Ripley – 2nd Secretary to the Minister of MNRE

People’s Choice - Leuluaialiiotumua Faagutu Samuelu – Vaatolu – ACEO Corrections, Enforcement & Maintenance Division, MJCA.

Team Awards;

Public Awareness Initiatives – Firearms Amnesty Team

Community Participation Initiatives – PEN Fa’aSamoa Team – Ministry of Health

Organisational Development and Capacity Building Initiatives – Meteorology Division team  -of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Use of Technology/Information Management Systems Initiatives - Digitisation Projects for the Lands and Titles Court Records – Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration.

Environmental Friendly and sustainable Development Initiatives, Customer Service/Service Delivery Initiatives – Shipping and Marketing Team – Samoa Shipping Corporation.

People’s Choice - Probation and Parole Service – Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration.

Chairman of the Public Service Commission award for service delivery sector assessment - Telephone Spot Checks  - Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Most effective collaborative Partnership with a Private Sector Organization - One Scrap Metals –nominated by the Samoa Shipping Services.

Most effective collaborative Partnership with a Non Government Organization - Samoa Victim Support Group – nominated by the MJCA.

Appreciations awards for Recognition of service;

Tauloa Auvae Lui, Tauo Mulifusi Togafau, Tunumafono Sinapi Tautala Tovala Sapa, Taealio Va’ai, Fuatino Fa’atuuala, Luamanuvae Gaugau Mateo, Time Kolone, Fauono Talalelei Tapu, Leiataua Aviga Salale, Fuatino Tofi, Siavata Gale, Vipula Maiava, Metita Va’afusuaga, Ma Fulu Aiolupotea, Seiuli Vaifou Aloaina-Temese, Naumati Vasa, Silafau Dr Sina Va’ai, Tuatu Kalepo and Senara Te’o.