The installation of the Manatua Cable at Moata’a, which had been scheduled for Saturday this week, has been pushed back to Monday.

But it's not because of measles.

Moli Seanoa, of the Samoa Submarine Cable Company, said the change is the result of weather patterns.

“I would like to inform you that the Manatua Cable Laying Operation has been revised due to the current weather forecast,” she said in a email to the media.

“The Cable landing date has now been moved from tomorrow, 23rd November to Monday, 25th November 2019 at 9am.”

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi, is scheduled as the keynote address speaker. He will also be presented with the buoy to mark the beginning of the project.

During a previous interview, Samoa Submarine Cable Company Director, Pepe Christian Fruean, said the cable is critical to Samoa’s technological aspirations.

“As you get your first cable the issue that comes to hand is what is your restoration, what is your back up plan. That is basically what the Manatua represents to us,” he said.

 “If we were to have an issue on our main cable we would switch our traffic and head over to Tahiti and Hawaii to get back to Sydney or the West Coast [of the United States].”

Mainly, the 1,600 kilometre Tui-Samoa Cable which connects Samoa to Fiji via Wallis and Futuna services Samoa.

It’s also known as the One Polynesia Cable - will be mostly a back-up facility and potentially an addition to the Tui-Samoa.

Before the Tui-Samoa Cable, it costs $99 for four gigabytes but with the new cable, internet users’s expenses decreases to $50 ad get 20 gigabytes according to Pepe.

But of course the achievement is a partnership with the Pacific nations.

 “We believe the Manatua is the manifestation of the goodwill of our leaders and now it’s all come together. There is certainly a lot of excitement for Samoa and our Polynesian brothers and sisters,” Pepe said.