Chamber welcomes change to business hours

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The American Samoa Chanber of Commerce had repeatedly requested the Coronavirus Task Force the former administration to extend the business hours for businesses beyond 9pm. Gas stations, taxis and buses in particular.

A call center operated by Klaod Solutions said it lost an important client in the United States because the Coronavirus Task Force had refused to give them an exemption to be able to work a graveyard shift to accommodate off-island customers.

Only StarKist Samoa and businesses supporting it were not subject to the 5am-9pm hours of operation.

However in his first emergency declaration of the Covid 19 pandemic, Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga amended business hours of operation from 5am to midnight.

He also allowed the same hours for public gatherings.

Chamber Chair Ella Gurr has welcomed the change.

She said the Chamber will be meeting this week to select its Executive officers and review the declaration as one of its first orders of business.

They hope to determine how the business community can closely work together with the new administration. 

Gurr said, “The global, regional and local unprecedented impact of Covid-19 has been an eye opener for many businesses and the recovery will need all economic stakeholders to collaborate in order to rebuild a robust economy.”