By Staff Writer
Four hours of inching along a waiting line that stretched out onto the busy streets of Apia yesterday, Saturday 26 March 2022, became a true test of tolerance for hundreds of people at commercial banks and other money outlets on Beach Road.
With only 6 hours allowed under the lockdown from 8.00am-2.00.pm, the first order of business at the start of the day for many was to draw out from the commercial banks and money transfer outlets.
Long, slow moving lines soon started to spill out onto the streets of Apia as hundreds rushed to race against the lock-down clock deadline.
Normal business hours for the banks are from 9.00-12.00midday but as the crowds swelled so too did anxiety levels as the clock ticked along too fast for comfort towards closing time.
In one of the main banks along Beach Road, loud sighs of relief greeted a senior staff member making the announcement that the closing time has been extended from 12.00 noon to 2.00pm.
Despite the two lines moving into the bank from the front of the building and from the car park at the back, it must have been obvious to the staff they will need the extra hours.
Both the bank staff and the hundreds on the waiting lines, however, shared in a cheering relief with the lock-down deadline extended to 5.00pm in the evening.
“ The problem with our commercial banks and other financing outlets we have is they all seem to be concentrated in central Apia so they are drawn into town,’ NEOC Chairman Agafili Shem Leo explained in a media conference on Saturday afternoon.
Heavy shopping also led to packed crowds seen around many of the main supermarkets with full parking lots and shopping lines as well.
Apia has been on lockdown since last Wednesday and the public rush was on again on Saturday to re-stock for Sunday and Monday before the Tuesday 6 hour shopping window opens up again.
NEOC Chairman Agafili and members of his committee made spot check visits around some of the crowded locations and advised on the extension of the deadline.
But whether the Saturday rush may lead to new lockdown arrangements in the coming days remains to be seen.
“At NEOC our role is to monitor and advise Cabinet and the final decision comes from them.”
The final week of the lockdown starts on Sunday 28 March 2022 up to midnight Tuesday 5 April 2022.