Over $1 million tala was allocated and endorsed by the Cabinet to fund all the festivities planned for the finale of the country's year-long 60th Independence celebrations as well as the commemoration of its 61st Independence last week. 

The Samoa Observer can reveal that Cabinet endorsed a total of $1,159,664 tala to finance all the Independence programmes that took place last month. 

A further $2 million was spent to print the one million $60 tala notes.

Of the total amount that was allocated, a total of $217,000 was for the prizes for the fautasi regatta, $120,000 tala for the denominations that commemorated the arrival of their belief into the country, $300,000 tala for the thanksgiving concert that was held on Wednesday night. 

Furthermore, a total of $417,240 was spent on other special programmes that took place on Wednesday evening and Thursday which include the Awards and Honours ceremony, and the traditional performances. 

A total of $105,424 was set aside as contingency. 

For the fautasi regatta, the winners received a total of $60,000 tala, first runner up received $50,000 tala, third place winner received $40,000 tala, fourth place got $30,000 tala and $20,000 tala was given to fifth place. 

For traditional performances the three constituencies that performed on Thursday last week for the country's 61st Independence anniversary each received $15,000 tala from the government. 

The $300,000 tala was for the thanksgiving concert that signaled the conclusion of the country's year-long festivities for its 60th Independence Celebration that started from 1st of June 2022 to 31st of May, 2023. 

The historical concert was the first-ever concert to be held at Malae-o-Tiafau in Mulinu'u according to the Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio. 

The concert was a family event and was free for everyone. According to Tuala, it would have cost more to have the concert given that it featured some of the high-profile artists who traveled far distances to be in Samoa for the concert. 

However, he attributed the artists love and pride for their roots and acknowledged their willingness to come and be a part of the big celebration in the country.