The goal of the Samoa Scientific Organisation of Samoa (S.R.O.S.) is to ensure its research and their outcomes benefit citizens and adds value to the country’s goods and services.

That is the view of the S.R.O.S. Chief Executive Officer, Seuseu Dr. Joseph Edward Tauati in an interview with the Samoa Observer.

He said the commercialisation of its research work is not their goal as ultimately they want the outcomes of their work to add value to Samoa’s goods and services.

Our products are not for any commercialization purposes, we are here to provide social benefits through research and the development of value adding to Samoa’s goods and services,” he said.

“We have the avocado alcohol, soap, lemongrass repellent, cocoa, local herbal tea and many others. We do the research and we give it to our locals to do and produce and to make their own products and sell but S.R.O.S. does not sell anything, but we help our locals develop their businesses.”

To date the S.R.O.S. has created more than 20 products and it is their objective to promote the national economy of Samoa through research and development.

According to Seuseu, the organisation’s mission is to conduct scientific research and development technologies of value in the sustainable development of value added goods and services for exports, and to achieve reduction in fuel imports and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We can only release our formulas to our locals, for instance if a Samoan local comes into S.R.O.S. and is interested in the production of the herbal tea, we will guide him and give him the formula  and he will make his own and sell it and it becomes his,” he added.

But a different policy applies to foreign companies, says Seuseu, as they will have to find a local partner if they want to access the work of the organisation.

“If a local comes in and we know that there is an overseas company behind this local we might not give it because we need to protect our products,” he added.

“We research and we give our people the results to help them in building up their own products, if ever they are stuck with anything, they can come here at our office so we can assist them. Our doors are always open to our people and we are always here to assist them.”

The S.R.O.S. currently has 60 staff with most of them nationals, but the declaration of the state of emergency (S.O.E.) has led to the suspension of some of their programs.