While the Chamber of Commerce applauds the Lolo Administration's achievements over the last two years, the business group calls on the government to award more projects to the private sector as well as utilize the expertise found within the Chamber membership.

In his State of the Territory Address last week, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga painted a rosy picture of the government’s achievements over the two years since his administration took office.

Responding to the governor’s address, Chamber chairman David Robinson — speaking on behalf of the the board — said the Chamber congratulates the governor and the administration “for overseeing a fiscal year which broke records for putting the government in the black with more revenues than expenditures.”

Robinson said Tuesday in a statement, “Its commitment to financial discipline has gone a long way to enhancing the government’s financial integrity and reducing some of the ‘high risk’ areas that previously existed.”

He cited improvements revealed by the governor in his address, such as an increase in the collection of tax revenues (breaking the record with FY 2014 actual collected revenues of $100.2 million); increased employment and consumer spending; implementation of the State Small Business Credit Initiative; and reducing utility costs.

Further, the $10.6 million investment by Philippines based A.V.M Bernado Engineers for a food processing plant and planned new investments as outlined in the Economic Development Implementation Plan “will all lead to a stronger economy and more employment opportunities,” Robinson noted.

However, he said, “Whilst the administration has achieved considerable progress in improving many areas of its operations during the past two years, the Chamber would like to see ASG award more projects to the private sector.”

Projects include new road construction; clean up projects; new buildings; new drainage and sewerage; a Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources marina upgrade; and new telephone cables.

Robinson explained that there are areas where “considerable expertise resides in the Chamber membership” and this expertise could be used to plan and develop projects in the Pago Pago harbor identified in the Port Development Plan of 2003; new tourist projects such as the Mt Alava Cable Car; eco-tourism; taxation issues; new international events to attract tourism; a yacht marina; and a technology park.

“The Chamber looks forward to a closer working relationship with ASG, and to be invited to play a stronger supporting and project-development role to promote new investments that will stimulate and strengthen our economy,” he said.