Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has rejected a call by a leader of the Congregational Christian Church for the government to ban all business operations on Sundays.
The call followed claims by the church that Sunday business was the reason why people are not attending services.
In his weekly radio programme, the prime minister said everyone's rights to observe or not to observe Sunday is guaranteed under the constitution.
He says it is not for the government to impose a ban through legislation because once such a ban is imposed it means no businesses or even work should be done on Sunday.
Tuila'epa says if such law is imposed, the government would also do the same for Saturday to observe the Seventh Day Adventist Church Sabbath day.
