Foreign contractors carrying out labour work on Sundays will be stopped if the Tautua Samoa Party wins the General Elections in March.

That’s what the Opposition leader, Palusalue Fa’apo II said, promising to restore the respect Samoans once had for Sundays.

“It must be so difficult for the churches to perform its role when they see that the government doesn’t care about Sundays,” Palusalue said.

“They are allowing contractors to work on Sundays, disrespecting Samoans and our Christian beliefs.”

Palusalue said if the Tautua wins the election, one of his priorities is to stop the labour work being carried out on Sundays.

“We will not allow any more contract work on Sunday,” he said. “The exception is essentials services such as health, ferries, emergency on basic utilities where the need arises.”

Palusalue said Samoa needs to go back to the path “that our forefathers set for us” and that involves respecting God and teaching foreigners to respect Samoa’s day of worship.

“Sunday is a day of worship,” he said. “Any government must work with the churches to make sure Samoa is a God fearing country.

“Some people have put money and contractual obligations before what is most important. They are ignoring what’s most important to Samoa, which is our foundation and Christian beliefs.”

It’s not the first time Palusalue has made the point. During the debate of the Labour and Employment Relations Bill 2012, the M.P from Safata urged the Government to put God before money. As an elder of the E.F.K.S Church, Palusalue said Sundays are sacred.

 “As a country that is founded on Christian values, I am worried that our people are going to work on Sunday and not attending church,” Palusalue told Parliament. “I am not talking about the shops and other services that our people need on Sundays. I am talking about contractors who do work that disturb the peace on Sunday.

 “The government should enforce such legislation and push our people to go to church. It saddens me to see people heading to work on Sundays when they should be going to church.”

Palusalue said the drive to make sure people revere Sundays should come from the top.