Samoa's 60th independence anniversary celebration preparations are at the advanced stage with the Prime Minister also joining the flag raising and parade rehearsals on Monday.

Ceremonial saluting guns that were gifted to Samoa in 1962 were also brought out of storage to be used in Wednesday's ceremony.

A visit by the Samoa Observer to Malae o Tiafau on Monday saw members of the Police Service in their ceremonial uniforms go through their parade rehearsal as well as a trial flag raising ceremony.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa was on hand to observe the rehearsals with the Deputy Police Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Tiai-Keti and other senior officers including Acting Police Commissioner, Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga.

The Deputy and Acting Police Commissioners later led their officers in the parade and marched past the official dais where the VIPs will be seated on Wednesday morning.

Fiame also participated in the flag raising ceremony, confirming the role that she will play on the morning of Samoa's 60th independence anniversary.

The Ministry of Police's ceremonial saluting guns were also brought out of storage and will play a key role in Wednesday's flag raising ceremony. 

The ceremonial saluting guns were first presented to Samoa by New Zealand in 1962 as an independent gift. They were manufactured in Portsmouth, England in 1892 and, due to their age, have required careful maintenance before each firing, according to a New Zealand Defence press release.

The guns have been used to fire a 21 Gun Salute annually at the Samoan Independence Day Celebrations up until 1988 when they needed their first refurbishment. They were returned to New Zealand in mid 1991 and repaired and reconditioned by naval personnel at the Royal New Zealand Navy Armament Depot in Kauri Point, Auckland and were then returned and handed back to the Samoa Government on 20 May 1992 along with a supply of blank ammunition.

In 2009 at the request of the Samoan Government, HMNZS Canterbury transported more blank ammunition to Samoa for the Independence Day Celebrations on 1 June 2009 where approximately 60 New Zealand Navy, Army and Air Force personnel from the naval vessel took part in the formal parade.

As part of the preparations for Samoa's independence day celebrations in 2009, personnel from HMNZS Canterbury inspected the guns and made the recommendation that they be refurbished in the near future. The opportunity was then taken to transport the saluting guns onboard Canterbury when she returned to New Zealand in late June 2009 and have the refurbishment completed well in advance of the 50th Samoan independence day celebrations in 2012.