Business Roundtable
A Planner's View
Dr Amy Blizzard
Pacific Magazine also asked Dr. Amy Blizzard, the Government of American Samoa's Territorial Planner, about the economic outlook.
Pacific Magazine: Will the canneries leave, and if so when?
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Dr Amy Blizzard: There is the one viewpoint where we have to try and ensure the canneries are a viable part of the economy for as long as possible, so we are trying in the short term to find ways that we can encourage them to stay. The other side is where we have to look long term and realize that they might not be here forever. So part of our work is to try to diversify, try to bring in new industry and try to look at areas in the community where we’re going to have to account for filling the gap when the canneries do leave. And that covers everything from economic development—bringing in the businesses or securing a workforce for businesses that may come in—and continues on to the idea of land use and distribution of infrastructure or the facilities here.
PM: Does
AB: The goal is to have a paired workforce, and a workforce that is also responsive to the needs of businesses that are relocating to the territory. The area that keeps coming through over and over in our discussions is the area of trades education. It would hinder our workforce development if every person was only given the opportunity to explore a four-year liberal arts degree and so what we’re doing is identifying the needs for people like construction works and technical people, trades that are needed for manufacturing and industry and really looking at ways we can develop a program that responds to those needs.
PM: What role should the federal government play in this transition phase?
AB: One of the programs that the Department of Interior has worked with the territorial government with in the last few years is to help with development of economic programs in the territory by providing workshops and trade missions and technical assistance.
We really have tried to work closely with the federal agencies on a big scale. The other thing we do is work with individual federal agencies to apply for funding for programs that will assist in economic development and diversifying the economy.
PM: Have you seen much traction from these programs?
AB: We had a report done that discussed the impact of the canneries and one of the things that was identified as a potential issue was that we have worked with the DOI for some years but because of federal changes or program changes, there hasn’t been a long-term, very close commitment. It has ebbed and flowed along with funding cycles, and political issues. So we need to have a very long term, strategic, economic development plan and collaboration within the Pacific community.
PM: What are three things that must be done to ensure a stable, health economy for the territory?
AB: Diversifying the economy, closer collaboration with the private sector and implementing reforms that might be necessary to become more active with business recruitment and retention- everything from immigration policies to tax policies and that type of thing.
