Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — StarKist Co. has confirmed that StarKist Samoa’s annual end of the year holiday shutdown for 2020 will be two weeks and not three weeks, which is information that has been circulating in the community since last week.

Families of some workers said that they are a bit concerned with a longer three-week break, because that means no income for an additional week, when the usual downtime for the Christmas break is two weeks.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, StarKist corporate spokesperson, Michelle Faist said StarKist Samoa’s last day of production is Saturday, Dec. 19th, and that there is a scheduled, two-week shutdown over the holiday, with production resuming on Monday, January 4, 2021.

She said yesterday that StarKist Samoa employees would receive two cases of Wahoo for their Holiday Gift to show appreciation for their hard work and dedication over the year.

During downtime, the cannery goes through the usual maintenance update and service, which is very important this year, as StarKist Samoa has been busy — even working on Saturdays over the past months — as the company is exempted from the governor’s COVID-19 emergency declarations, and has been since March.

Work on Saturdays, according to local and off island industry officials, is due to a high demand for tuna products because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions across the US in past months.

As previously reported by Samoa News, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga exempted StarKist Samoa based on US President Trump’s call to maintain food chain operations through the nation, at the outset of the pandemic.

This past weekend, employees from the various departments were out in full force putting up holiday decorations at designated sections or areas inside (such as bathrooms, some of the decorations were very colorful) and outside of the cannery, under the “Adopt-A-Corner” program.

“StarKist Samoa is a proud member of the American Samoa business community, we appreciate the chance to decorate the facility as part of the Island’s Christmas in Paradise festivities,” said Faist when asked about the program.

She explained that each StarKist Samoa department is encouraged to decorate a designated area as part of this “Adopt a StarKist Corner” contest, which is part of StarKist Samoa’s calendar of events for the year.

According to Faist, who is StarKist Co.’s Senior Manager for Corporate Affairs, the StarKist Samoa team started with a Talent Show (in June & July), Fun Day (in August), and is now ending the year with the Adopt a StarKist Corner event.

“We wish everyone a safe and Happy Holiday,” she concluded.

A majority of StarKist Samoa’s more than 2,000 workforce usually heads to Samoa during shut-down, but will be spending the holidays in the territory, as passenger flights and ferry service are suspended until further notice under current COVID-19 restrictions.

The cannery’s shutdown, also impacts other companies that provide service to StarKist Samoa, such as buses chartered for workers and surrounding eateries.