Rehearsal for ceremonies for Samoa’s 60th Independence Anniversary celebration were held Monday in the presence of Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.
Mata’afa was part of the flag raising and parade rehearsal.
The Ministry of Police and Prisons said the rehearsal was held at Mulinu'u.
There was a discharge of the cannon while the rehearsal took place.
The New Zealand Defence said, “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.”
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.