The global pandemic has delayed the commissioning of 12 new apartments at the Taumeasina Island Resort but the management is confident they will be open for guests early 2022.

The Taumeasina Island Resort General Manager Tuiataga Nathan Bucknall told the Samoa Observer on Tuesday the construction of 12 new three-bedroom apartments had been completed but their opening was delayed due to the closure of Samoa’s international borders.

He said the apartments were scheduled to be opened this month but that is now deferred due to the current travel restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Since 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe we have been struggling because there are no more tourists visiting Samoa," said Tuiataga.

"We're currently landscaping and completing the finishing touches to the new apartments. 

“But currently we're okay with the delay because there is not really a huge demand for those particular villas at the moment because we're only serving our local clientele, we're currently surviving with what we have got here for now.”

Looking back at the construction phase, Tuiataga said issues arose with the construction firm due to the pandemic’s impact on global freight which led to the slow arrival of construction material.

"There was a bit of drama between myself and the company which was caused by the lockdown and closure of the wharves delayed us from receiving the building supplies to complete the construction of the villas," he said.

Tuiataga said when the villas officially open next year there will be a new additional service of buggies for the transportation of guests between the resort and the new villas.

The 12 three-bedroom villas have been fully furnished and have already been purchased by 10 companies in Samoa using the V.A.G.S.T. Tax Repaid Tourism Scheme.

In terms of the impact of the pandemic on the resort staff, Tuiataga said currently his managerial staff including himself have not been receiving their full salary due to the impact of the pandemic.

"We had to make sacrifices so that we would still be able to open our doors to the public, but I do know that once the borders reopen then we'd get back to normal like before," he said.