Ads by Google Ads by Google

Govt declares two holidays this week — Flag Day and Good Friday

Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga, who is also the acting governor

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The official Flag Day program for Flag Day 2019 is expected to be released Tuesday, and the Governor’s Office has received confirmation for off-island VIPs, which includes Samoa’s Head of State Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi; Ulu o Tokelau; Congresswoman Aumua Amata; and US Coast Guard Rear Admiral of the Honolulu-based 14th District, Kevin Lunday.

Also attending the 2019 Flag Day festivities are top diplomats representing the Australia and New Zealand governments, based in Samoa.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga, who is also the acting governor, declared Apr. 17th, Flag Day, a local government holiday, although many government employees are part of the ASG Flag Day Committee.

Lemanu has also declared Good Friday, Apr. 19th, as a government holiday. Some businesses will be closed, including Samoa News.

For the private sector, it's business as usual for most of them.

Bank of Hawaii will be open on both holidays, while ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank is taking Wednesday off and will be open half-day on Friday. The Territorial Bank of American Samoa will be closed on both holidays — Apr. 17 and 19.

In observance of Good Friday, Samoa News will not publish that day but will provide updates online. The print edition returns Monday, Apr. 22nd.

StarKist Samoa will have three days off this week starting Wednesday, Flag Day 2019.

The cannery is among a handful of local businesses participating in the celebration.

StarKist Inc., corporate spokesperson Michelle Faist confirmed to Samoa News last Thursday that StarKist Samoa will have normal production today (Monday) and tomorrow, followed by the Flag Day shutdown Apr. 17-20.

Normal production for StarKist — one of the companies to recently join the National Fisheries Institute’s Salmon Council — is scheduled to resume Monday, Apr. 22nd.

“Nearly 2,000 StarKist Samoa employees will be marching in the Flag Day parade this year,” Faist said from the company’s headquarters in Pittsburgh. “We wish everyone a Happy Flag Day and Happy Easter, as well.”

Some of the companies that service the cannery, such as the can manufacturing plant in Satala, are also taking time off during StarKist’s downtime.