South Pacific Island Nation Samoa to shift to Time Zone on the West of International Date Line

South Pacific island nation Samoa, currently positioned to the east of the International Date Line on 9 May 2011 decided to forego a day (28 December 2011) and shift to the time zone on its west. to facilitate trade with Australia and New Zealand. The decision was taken to facilitate to facilitate trade with Australia and New Zealand.

The island nation in the South Pacific is currently 21 hours behind both countries, Australia and New Zealand. This implies that that the nation loses two working days a week with them. However with its decision to move to the other side of the date line, Samoa will move three hours ahead.
The shift will take effect on 27 December 2011. At midnight, when it will be 9 p.m. on 28 December in Sydney, clocks in Apia, the capital of Samoa, will jump to 00:00 of 29 December.

According to Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi there are overwhelming reasons for a time zone change.

The decision to adhere with the eastern side of the date line was purportedly taken 119 years ago, to make business with the United States and Europe easier. Now, as the volume of trade with their neighbouring countries has surged, Samoans have decided to readjust their clock position.
The International Date Line, which slices the Pacific Ocean in two, is an imaginary line along the 180 degree longitude that separates two calendar dates.

To avoid cutting through nations, the International Date Line zigzags along their sides. However for tiny island countries like Samoa, it presents a peculiar problem. Midway between New Zealand and Hawaii, Samoa is virtually forced to choose its date, ensuring that the country loses valuable working days with one side or the other.