Various businesses in the Faleata area claimed they were losing profits because of power outages and the inability to have a continuous power supply was frustrating.

Businessman Mose Feagaimaalii To'omalatai owns a hair salon in Vailima. He claimed that he lost more than $1000 on Tuesday because of the power outage.

He was supposed to cater for the hair and make-up needs of three women but had to cancel because there was no electricity.

To'omalatai said if this continued it would impact his business and clients.

"Our business is what we depend on for a living and if the power outages continue every day, I don't know how to cater for the needs of my loyal clients and keep this business going," To'omalatai said.

"This profit that I was supposed to get today was to pay for my bills and keep my business going but not only that I feel sorry for my three clients who were looking forward to getting their hair done today (Tuesday)," he added.

This same disappointment was shared by another businesswoman, Brenda Lee-Lo. She was expecting over $500 on Tuesday for her food catering business.

Lee-Lo said she had to cancel an order of fish and chips for Avele College because she couldn't cook them due to power outages.

"Not only did I lose my profit for today but I had to cancel this order last minute due to this power outage and I feel sorry for my clients," she said.

Lee-Lo said Avele College and another school were supposed to get fish and chips from her small business but the power outage ruined it all.

"So not only did I lose money today but also one of my refrigerators is not working anymore because of power cuts without notices given in the last couple of days," she said.

Lee-Lo hopes for better days. She said her shop and food catering cannot continue if these power outages will be the new norm for Samoa.

Doris Tulifau of Brown Girl Woke (BGW) shared her frustration about the power rationing schedule.

She said EPC's rolling blackouts wouldn't be as frustrating if they followed their schedule.

"Instead, we're left in the dark literally, without warning or accountability."

"Let's be real, this issue goes beyond EPC. It's about leadership, government spending and whether those in power are prioritising real solutions for the people.

"Reliable electricity isn't a luxury, it's a basic human right. The right to access information, education, healthcare and a stable livelihood- these are all impacted when we don't even have consistent power." 

Tulifau said businesses were losing money, students could not study and families were struggling to keep food fresh.

"This isn't an inconvenience, it's a violation of our right to basic services. If anything, these blackouts should remind us why we need to demand better governance, better infrastructure, and better leadership," she said.

"Samoa deserves more than just 'making do'- we deserve a country that truly takes care of its people."