(GOVT. PRESS SECRETARIAT); Last week, Cabinet approved amendments to the State of Emergency (SOE) Orders for COVID-19 which included changes to the Ferry service on Sundays, flights schedules and conditions for fishing vessels requesting to dock at the Matautu wharf while the rest of the SOE orders remain in effect for the country.
The notable SOE Orders that remain unchanged include the conditions on opening and closing hours for businesses and local markets in both Upolu and Savaii, summarized below for public information.
- Markets – Open Monday to Saturday 6am – 8pm
- Sunday – CLOSE
- Supermarkets – Open Monday to Saturday 6am – 10pm
- Sunday – Open from 3pm to 10pm
- Businesses that may open on Sundays with conditions:
- Petrol Stations – Open from 3pm to 10pm
- Pharmacies – Open from 3pm to 10pm
- Restaurants – 12noon – 10pm
- Small shops – 3pm onwards
To date, a total of 198 SOE tickets have been issued in both Upolu and Savaii. Overall SOE warnings issued since the beginning of the Proclamation stands at 406, 344 for Upolu and 62 for Savaii. The Ministry of Police, Prisons and Corrections (MPPC) continue to monitor and issue warnings and penalties to individuals and businesses that breach the current SOE Orders.
Penalties for breaching the SOE Orders (not including quarantine) are as follows:
- Individual – $200 (first offence) and $500 for a continuous offence
- Organization or Corporation or similar such legal entity – $5,000 for a first offence, and a fine of $7,000 for a continuous offence.
To view the latest full SOE Orders and penalties, visit the Novel Coronavirus webpage on the Government of Samoa website: https://www.samoagovt.ws/category/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/
For SOE related information contact the National Emergency Operation Centre on 997/32759 and for Health related information contact the Ministry of Health on 8006440
—ENDS—
