Tiz the ‘Day before Christmas’
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa Government workers got an early Christmas gift when they received their paychecks last Friday.
The ASG's official payday is today, Christmas Eve, but the Lolo Administration wanted to make sure everyone has a Merry Christmas.
The early release of payroll — for the employees who get paper checks — kept the banks busy, the stores full, and the traffic slow, as residents headed to local stores, some of which opened around 6 a.m.
ASG employees who get their paychecks via direct deposit were up bright and early Saturday morning, forming long lines at the ATMs across the island.
Traffic is expected to be very busy today, especially in the Laufou area and in front of Neil’s ACE Home Center (which will be open until 6pm today), as last minute shoppers make one final push.
Some stores opened around 6a.m. last Friday and Samoa News observed two locations where lines started forming around 5a.m.
Grocery stores and retailers say they are prepared for the Christmas rush — and they are banking on holiday shopping to increase revenues.
Lolo has already declared tomorrow Dec. 25 a government holiday. All government offices will be closed and ASG employees working will be compensated according to applicable laws and regulations.
The majority of the territory’s businesses — including the three banks and all federal offices locally and in the US — will be closed tomorrow.
At StarKist Samoa, production shut down was Friday for the usual two weeks end of the year down-time.
American Samoa joins Christians around the world to celebrate the birth of Christ at the stroke of midnight tonight. But it’s already Christmas in other parts of the world — such as neighboring Samoa and other South Pacific countries.