Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — It’s the end of a three-day weekend for the territory, as American Samoa joins the rest of the nation today to mark the Labor Day holiday - which is both a local and federal holiday.

“Labor Day is a time to honor and recognize the labor movement and all laborers for their contributions to the development and achievement of our great Nation,” Gov. Lemanu P.S. Mauga said in an Aug. 29 memorandum declaring Monday a holiday in the territory.

“I encourage you all to take time this weekend to honor and celebrate all the working people of our Territory,” he said. “Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication.”

Labor Day honors the men and women working in the jobs that keep our economy moving forward, and is a much-deserved day of rest. Thank you everyone for all your year-round dedication and efforts! Have a happy Labor Day, and time with friends and families or simply relaxing. May God bless you and yours, and all of us together in the year ahead, said Uifa’atali Amata.

“For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” Psalm 128:2

With Monday a holiday, all government offices are closed as well as the majority in the private sector including StarKist Samoa, whose workers are also taking today off, as part of the cannery’s 60th Anniversary celebration, focusing on employee-appreciation.

Monday is also set for ASG to officially launch the Maui Donation Drive at the Tufele Li'amatua Sr. Tufele Cultural Center at Suiga'ula park in Utulei. The humanitarian relief drive to help residents of Maui — especially the town of Lahaina effected by wildfire last month — will run through Sept. 09.

Meanwhile, public school classrooms officially open on Tuesday, Sept. 05 to start the new school year 2023/2024.  (See separate story on school readiness in today’s issue.)

In observance of Labor Day holiday, Samoa News will not publish today and the office will also be closed.