Innovation

American Samoa's post tsunami disaster economic recovery strategies, developed under the leadership of ASG Government Authorized Representative (GAR) and Human Resource director Vaitautolu Evelyn Langford, have captured the attention of several development organizations for their innovative approach to island development and their sensitivity to island culture - they have been featured in economic development forums from L.A. to Washington DC to Juneau, Alaska.

The Department of Human Resources is hoping for the first session of call center training to get underway at the start of the new year, while the second class for the School of Culinary Arts began two months ago.

American Samoa wants to train about 1,500 participants under the Call Center Training Facility project, which was awarded in July this year to California-based American Pacific Resources Inc. for $1.59 million, but the following month it was challenged by Honolulu-based American Samoa Services Associates Corporation (ASSAC), whose bid was $5 million...