Repatriation

These breaches range from absconding to excessive drinking and extramarital affairs.

The Samoa Observer reports that a church pastor had assisted 10 seasonal workers to get the Australian 406 Visa which have now been repealed.

The chief executive of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling, says they try to resolve issues internally but once things get serious they have to bring the workers home.

Some have been charged under Australian drinking and driving laws and are now trying to get legal representation.

The Disaster Advisory Committee said 5,088 Samoans repatriated arrived from Auckland including Samoans transiting from the United States and Europe.

Over 350 residents (369 mostly returning seasonal workers) returned from Australia with Fiji accounting for 205, while an additional 503 residents from neighboring American Samoa according to a report by Savali newspaper.

The Samoa Observer reports Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa confirmed the Government is looking at bringing back more than 100 Samoan students in Fiji and also Samoans currently living in Fiji.

The announcement by the Samoa government follows the first case of a Samoan student studying in Fiji testing positive for the Covid-19 last month.

Photo file Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa 

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced this in his nationwide address this week.

Mr. Sogavare says the students were among the 850 students who are currently in Fiji.

He says the COVID-19 situation in Fiji is worrying as 22 local students have been infected by the virus.

“Approximately 850 students, both government and privately sponsored students in all the training institutions in Fiji. Over 50 of these have graduated and can return home, the rest will remain.

The sailors have contracts with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) or have requested to return home.

Four repatriation flights have been scheduled to bring home Samoans stranded overseas including the sailors.

A second charter flight has been scheduled to fly from Los Angeles to Apia on 27 November.

By the end of the month, over 170 sailors will be brought back home according to the Chief Executive Officer of Samoa Shipping Services, Lautimuia Afoa Uelese Va’ai in a report in Savali Newspaper.

The Samoa Observer newspaper reported the world's second largest shipping company was considering a ban on Samoan seamen after the government apparently refused to repatriate stranded nationals.

The report said a leaked email from the Mediterranean Shipping Company hinted at government refusal to allow the 321 nationals in unless shipping companies met the costs of repatriation.

A Samoan government-owned entity, Samoa Shipping Services, handles the placement of seafarers with shipping companies worldwide.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the flights are scheduled on Friday 29 May and thereafter on 12 June 12 and 26 June as well as 9 July and 23 July.

The flight on 22 May is still operating as scheduled but as a cargo flight.

Further flights will be arranged until all those stranded abroad are brought home.

Connecting flights from other parts of the world through NZ will be subject to the lifting of border restrictions of the countries concerned.

Air New Zealand has confirmed the Apia flight will collect Auckland bound passengers and deliver essential supplies to Samoa.

The Auckland to Apia leg departs at midday New Zealand time and returning to Auckland at 5:45pm Samoa time the same day.

Passengers should contact Air New Zealand for details.