Samoa

The head of news at TV1 Samoa is hopeful that a rare Covid-19 government briefing held today signals a move towards more openness and transparency with media. Renee Kahukura-Iosefa said briefings have not happened during the Covid State of Emergency despite media requests.

The Samoan government is looking seriously at banning Facebook in the country. TV1Samoa reports Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi saying this week that many people had complained about the popular social media platform and how it is being used to hurt people. "I am thinking about this a lot especially how it is being used to make defamatory statements about others," he said.

A survey is being carried out Samoa to assess the impact of the Covid-19 State of Emergency on households. The United Nations wants to know what the social and economic effect of Covid restrictions have been. It's looking at economic and food security, employment, debt and standards of living. Results will help the Samoa Government and aid donors better understand how Samoans are coping with the pandemic.

Samoa has further relaxed its Covid-19 State of Emergency restrictions for church services and allowed more than one gathering allowed on their sabbath. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi announced the easing of restrictions on Wednesday which included the return of street vendors. The formal notification of the amended orders stipulated that "only fruits, vegetables, cooked food and designed/elei materials/lavalava are allowed to be sold".

Samoa's prime minister says he has deep reservations about reopening borders. Samoa was one of the first to lock down because of Covid-19, fearing a repeat of last year's measles epidemic which killed 83 people. The country's tourism industry has been hard hit by the shut down, and there has been talk about joining a so-called travel bubble if New Zealand eliminates Covid-19.

After nearly two months of not hearing church choirs singing hymns due to Covid-19 restrictions, Samoans piled into church buildings Sunday morning in unusually large numbers. The streets were again whitewashed with flashy Sunday best attire.

New Zealand residents and citizens wishing to return home from Samoa will now be able to do so on 1 May. Air New Zealand has confirmed the Apia flight will collect Auckland bound passengers and deliver essential supplies to Samoa. The Auckland to Apia leg departs at midday New Zealand time and returning to Auckland at 5:45pm Samoa time the same day. Passengers should contact Air New Zealand for details.

Samoa's Prime Minister says a proposed Pacific Super Rugby team might have to base itself in Hawaii to cope with formidable financial demands. The feasibility of basing a team in the Pacific Islands was explored in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs study released earlier this year but the money required makes that unlikely.

Samoa have won their first medal of the Commonwealth Games after weightlifter Don Opeloge secured silver in the men's 85kg division. The 18 year-old lifted a personal best 151kg in the snatch but missed his final two attempts at 188kg and 191kg in the clean and jerk. He finished with a total of 331kg at the Carrara Sports Arena, seven kilograms behind Venkat Rahul Ragala from India, who also beat him to gold at last year's Commonwealth Championships.

New Zealand's prime minister has announced $US4.7 million ($NZ 6.5 million) in extra funding to boost employment and investment in small businesses in Samoa. Jacinda Ardern is visiting Apia as part of her Pacific Missions trip which also includes legs in Tonga, Niue and the Cook Islands.