About a decade ago, Samoa was granted approval by the International Dateline Authorities in London to shift the International Date Line from 100 miles west of Asau in Savaii to 20 miles East of Aleipata.
This is the reason American Samoa, our neighbour to the East, has a different time zone from ours since the shift.
The Authorities in London were enormously impressed with all the economic and cultural reasons we gave why Samoa must be on the same time zone with Australia and New Zealand.
Our main interest however, was simply that we got fed up for being the last country in the World on everything. E.g. Samoa became famous for being the last country to farewell the last millennium; the last country the sun sets daily, the last country to receive the World News daily, indeed the last country in any line up of World Countries for any International events.
There is nothing nice, whatsoever, for being always last!
Today since the shift, Samoa is the first country the sun rises daily, the first to get the News of the World daily, and the first to celebrate 2024 New Year with fire-works.
Unfortunately, the honour for being last has now gone to American Samoa.
So, how did we perform with our New Year celebrations?
I watched the World News and all I saw were brilliant displays of fire-works in Argentina, New York, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand etc.
And the first country of Samoa to welcome the New Year, nothing.
So, for 2024 we celebrated very soundly with only our nostrils.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP