NZ REPATRIATION FLIGHTS SCRUTINISED
By: Nanai Taofiga Laveitiga Tuiletufuga
With news received late yesterday evening confirming two new COVID-19 cases in New Zealand after 26 days without any new cases or fatalities, the development is an audible warning to Government to increase surveillance and monitoring of all returning Samoan residents from Aoteroa, says Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
This does not include 12 new cases reported in Australia.
The latest developments from Wellington responded Tuilaepa signals the start of a revamped drive by Government to enforce stricter border security control measures to ensure that the country’s COVID-19 free so far is not jeopardize in any way.
With the same tone, the Prime Minister said that under the circumstances Cabinet in granting the green light for the repatriation flights from Auckland to continue amid the latest 2 confirmed cases is associated with consequences beyond Government’s control.
For instances he says that Government has received reports of Samoan RSE workers who have completed their temporary contracts misbehaving and as a result it’s Governments duty for the RSE workers to be returned home.
Another contributing factor he says pertains to only 200 COVID-19 test kids left according to the Ministry of Health. But an urgent request will be relayed to New Zealand for
more test kits.
On a positive note, Tuilaepa announced that after two repatriation flights from Auckland, there have been no confirmed cases so far.
All of the 146 Samoans in the first flight have been cleared after 14 days in quarantine and the second lot of passengers remain in quarantine for 14 days with no confirmed case or symptoms of the virus.
The next repatriation flight is scheduled for June 26th which the Prime Minister says can change depending on the developments between now and then. That flight is expected to bring back 300 returning Samoans.
Tentatively, the target is for all Samoan citizens stranded in New Zealand to return home by the end of July.
“These are the consequences which are in play but rest assured Cabinet will not hesitate to close down our borders the minute Samoa’s records her first confirmed COVID-19,” reassured the Prime Minister reiterating that the same border security mandates for all new arrivals from Auckland are still in effect until further notice.
(For more details the full amended State of Emergency Orders is posted on the Savali and Government of Samoa Facebook Pages.)
