A woman in Samoa has accused the government of being hypocritical because it is allowing construction work to be done on Sundays even though the constitution now says Samoa is a Christian State. “As a Christian country, our day of worship is on Sunday,” Tuilaepa Soiamoa Grey told the Samoa Observer. “I have nothing against Read more
An Auckland councillor is demanding answers over why $15,000 was spent on an invitation-only lunch to ask Pacific leaders about their views on Easter Sunday trading. The invitation to a buffet lunch last Tuesday at the Waipuna Lodge was sent out to 58 Pacific community and church leaders. Continue reading
Keeping the sabbath holy, keeps Tonga ahead of the rest of the Pacific and the world in the political game says Senituli Penitani in a letter in the Tonga newspaper Matangi Tonga. In May the government of Tonga banned the sale of bread on Sundays. In this most recent round of the ongoing Sunday Bread War the Read more
Shops should be allowed to be open whenever they like, says Retail New Zealand which has presented its case on trading laws for Easter Sunday. Retail NZ supported the “liberalisation” the bill provided. It should be up to businesses to decide for themselves whether they wanted to open on any day of the year, spokesman Greg Read more
Britain’s Chief Rabbi has warned that the UK is in danger of falling prey to an addiction to social media at the expense of real human relationships. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the ancient Jewish principle of observing the Sabbath or a day of rest is an “antidote” to such an addiction. The orthodox Jewish interpretation Read more
A non-binding poll has found 56 per cent of voters on Aitutaki, Cook Islands, don’t want Sunday flights. There was a 61 percent voter turnout, from the Aitutaki constituencies of Amuri-Ureia, Vaipae-Tautu and Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara. The Chief Electoral Officer Taggy Tangimetua explained that the referendum was not binding on government. “In the case of this referendum, Read more
Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman wrote to the three Kaikoura electorate candidates most likely to become MPs to ask for their backing for changes to Easter trading laws. Every two years, Blenheim hosts the Omaka Classic Fighters event at Easter and the trading law restrictions mean retailers, restaurants and cellar doors cannot make the most of Read more