Apia town was jam-packed on Saturday morning with hundreds of shoppers converging on the area in last minute shopping before the celebration of Mother's Day on Sunday.

Some shops were overcrowded with long queues of shoppers with long traffic jams blocking the access roads into town adding to the frustration of motorists. 

Police were seen trying to control the traffic and open road access into the town area for other members of the public.

While some shoppers went straight to the stores for their merchandise, the others made their way to a market at Sogi with local vendors selling out of tents at Malaefatu Park. 

Even public transport such as busses were crowded with passengers together with bus terminals filled with waiting travellers hoping to return home after shopping.  

Despite a mandatory order for the public to wear face masks due to it being part of Emergency Orders, a lot of shoppers did not wear any form of facial masks when walking around town. 

A mother of three, Tesa Ioane told the Samoa Observer that she was shopping to buy her elderly mother a new dress to wear for church on Sunday.

“Every year, we commemorate Mother’s Day, some mothers like my own prefer to have a beautiful new dress,” she said.

The 35-year-old said she attached great importance to Mother's Day as it made mothers feel special and it is an important family tradition that is celebrated every year. 

“We all know without the love and care of our mothers we would not have lived a good life, they are the unsung heroes who receive no payment for all their hard work. 

“I want to wish all the mothers in Samoa a happy Mother’s Day, you all deserve to be spoiled.”

One of the shoppers, Merita Kaisa said due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 she had to come to town to do her mother’s shopping.

“Our family did not want her to get sick, so she stayed home while I came to look for her gift,” she said.

Another shopper, Ake Alaivaa from Lepea told this newspaper that her elderly mother was usually the one to buy whatever she wanted for Mother’s Day.

“However, it was not possible this year because of the virus being in the community and affecting so many people.

“I bought my mother some new clothes and some accessories, it is not much but it is what they love.”