F.F.S invests in virtual conference equipment to overcome travelling restrictions
While the COVID19 pandemic has restricted travelling and therefore attending meetings, workshops and trainings overseas, the Football Federation Samoa (FFS) has decided that it will not let this stop it from attending those important events. To make sure that it is able to continue to meet with important overseas contributors to the development of football, namely Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) as well as other stakeholders, the FFS recently invested in acquiring two smart screens or conference boards from PB Technology New Zealand. The smart screens which cost a total of NZ$10,947 (T$19,194) were purchased with funds provided by FIFA.
This purchase was initiated by the President of the FFS, Papalii Samuel Leslie Petaia who saw the need for the equipment to overcome the issue of staff crowding behind computer and laptop screens during virtual meetings and workshops. Now, everyone can be seen on this smart screen during those meetings and they no longer have to grouch in order to be seen or be able to see who is on the other side of the meeting.
The F.F.S. Chief Executive Officer, Seve Dr. Folototo Seve, stated in an interview with the Media on Wednesday, that attending overseas conferences is not possible due to the pandemic hence the investment in two brand new smart screens for virtual conferences. One screen has been set up at the F.F.S. headquarters at Tuanaimato with the second one already set up at the Savaii office at Iva.
Both the screens were put to the test on Wednesday when the FFS Executive Committee held a meeting with the FFS technical director, Mr Jess Ibrom who is currently stuck in Auckland, New Zealand due to the COVID19 restrictions. Then on Wednesday, more meetings were held with Mr Ibrom and staff of FIFA and OFC in Auckland and FFS staff in Upolu and Savaii.
“It’s a very effective way of making sure that we continue to have those meetings and workshops,” Dr. Seve said.
“There are meetings and workshops that FFS members are supposed to attend overseas but that is not possible because of the situation we are in now with COVID19, so this is an excellent way of still holding those meetings and receiving important and valuable information for us to continue to develop football in Samoa.”
Seve said FFS will continue to use this platform even if travelling was allowed again. Using this platform saves costs for FIFA and the Oceania Football Confederation [O.F.C] who are the two main F.F.S. funders.
FFS CEO also acknowledges the support of FIFA where the funds to purchase the screens came from and the support of the Government of Samoa for duty exemption on the football equipment. Without this support, the FFS would have to pay a lot on duty and customs clearance.
