While the pandemic continued to wreck more damages to the national economy, a sight of defiance that rose out of the gloom, was the Samoa Commercial Bank three-storey building.
The towering multi-storey structure in the centre of Apia stood large and brave to become a landmark for years to come whenever the presence of the 2020 pandemic reared for public attention.
The feeling was not lost on PM Tuilaepa who congratulated the resolve shown by the commercial bank.
These were his words at the opening of the new building :
“I had the privilege to officiate the opening of the Samoa Commercial Bank when it first opened its doors to the public on 11 April 2003, as one of the two locally owned commercial banks in the country, operating from the Methodist Building at Matafele.
“And they have come a long way in the last 17 years. SCB pride itself as the “People’s Bank” with broader coverage for easy access by the public and a big fan of the financial inclusion initiative.
“ SCB has not only grown in presence, but also in size from its initial investment of $4.5 million, to an asset base of just over $366 million as at end August 2020. “