The Cabinet has approved the extension of opening hours for restaurants and night clubs with the Government working to ease restrictions heading into the holidays.

The announcement was made by the Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa during her weekly press conference on Friday.

According to the Prime Minister, the new orders under the State of Emergency (S.O.E.) are effective from 22 November to 19 December 2021.

Fiame told the media that some of changes that have been approved include bingo games resuming on Saturday nights and closing at 11pm.

“From Monday to Friday the closing hours for night clubs [and restaurants] has been extended to 1am while on Saturdays they will be closed by 12am,” she said.

“Cabinet is also looking at easing some of the restrictions currently imposed especially with the country heading into the public holidays with the festive seasons Christmas and New Year coming up.”

In consultation with the Cabinet, the Head of State, His Highness Tuimaleali’ifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II signed into law the new amendments to the S.O.E. orders. 

Other orders include casinos opening on the condition that it opens Monday to Saturday from 4.00pm to 4.00am except on Saturday when it should close at 12.00 midnight.

“Public gatherings in most places accessible by the public are permitted and the public are required to observe safety rules as advised by the Ministry of Health or the National Emergency Operation Center from time to time.” 

The new orders also include an exemption of forensic pathologist and morgue technician from may be exempt from quarantine requirements only if approved by Cabinet and meet certain conditions.

“Despite quarantine requirements, passengers approved by Cabinet to travel to Samoa under (5) [cargo flights to Samoa are permitted to bring cargo goods every week and any other passengers as approved by Cabinet] may be exempt from quarantine requirements on the following conditions,” read the emergency orders.

“For a forensic pathologist and morgue technician: the passenger produces proof before travel to Samoa that he or she has been administered with a COVID-19 immunisation vaccine.

“And the passenger complies with all other health requirements including wearing the PPE gear whilst carrying out post mortem examinations.

“And that upon the completion of the post mortem examinations, the passengers depart Samoa immediately.

“In addition, for any other passenger, he or she produces proof before travel to Samoa that he or she has been administered with a COVID-19 immunisation vaccine an meets any other requirement determined by the Director General.”