Samoa moves forward in time

The South Pacific island nation of Samoa plans to jump forward in time by one day by shifting west of the international dateline – 119 years after it moved the other way in a bid to boost its trade and economy.

Prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi cites the same reasons for switching back, saying that moving forward a day will make business with key partners Australia and New Zealand “far, far easier and more convenient”.

The move will see the independent Polynesian nation skip forward to share the same date and time as its Pacific neighbours, including Australia and New Zealand.

Samoa and neighbouring American Samoa lay west of the dateline until 1892, when a US business trader convinced both states to switch to the east.