The Prime Minister has called on boards and management of state-owned enterprises to strengthen accountability, governance, and alignment with government policy, warning that failure to meet statutory reporting obligations raises serious concerns about performance and oversight.
The remarks were delivered during a meeting between the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, and chairs and directors of state-owned enterprise boards, held at Maota Tooa Salamasina on Friday morning.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister described the meeting as the first of its kind since the current government took office and said it marked the beginning of regular engagements to align government priorities with the operations of public enterprises. He said these forums would also be used to assess performance outcomes, identify policy gaps, and consider legislative or regulatory changes needed to improve results.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the central role of state-owned enterprises in Samoa’s economic development, noting their responsibility for delivering essential services including water, electricity, land management, transport, and access to affordable finance. He said these entities not only support economic growth through service delivery but also through employment and the effective use of professional skills.
He acknowledged that while some challenges faced by public enterprises can be resolved internally by boards and management, others are driven by external conditions and require broader policy or structural responses. He urged boards to work collaboratively with government and ensure that organisational plans reflect the direction and priorities of the administration.
The Prime Minister said Cabinet is currently overseeing a review of major policy settings governing state-owned enterprises. These include ownership structures, registration of commercial entities under the Companies Act 2001, amendments to the Public Bodies Act 2001, community service obligation policies, executive appointment processes, and the development of a public-private partnership framework. He said the objective is to strengthen financial governance and ensure enterprises fulfil their statutory mandates.
A key concern raised was compliance with annual reporting requirements. The Prime Minister told the meeting that only four public bodies had submitted their 2025 annual reports to Parliament within the required timeframe. These were the Fire and Emergency Services Authority, Samoa Ports Authority, Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa, Samoa Post, and the Ministry of Public Enterprises.
He questioned why the remaining 23 state-owned enterprises had failed to meet the same legal obligations, noting that the law provides clear consequences for boards that do not submit annual reports within four months of the end of the financial year. He said the absence of timely reporting undermines accountability and makes it impossible to properly assess service quality or justify improvements.
“Accountability is a responsibility,” the Prime Minister said, stressing that boards are required to report on outcomes and performance. Without these reports, he said, neither Parliament nor the public can evaluate whether services are meeting national needs.
The Prime Minister concluded by encouraging boards and executives to move forward together with government to improve public services and raise the wellbeing of the country. He also extended Christmas and New Year greetings to those present.
Prime Minister’s address to boards and management of state-owned enterprises, Maota Tooa Salamasina, 19 December 2025.
