BY ALEX DADAMU
THE date for the Central Makira Constituency (CMC) chartered repatriation trip is being re-scheduled pending the granting of exemption for the vessel to exit and re-enter the Honiara Emergency Zone.
According to Central Makira Community Development Officer (CDO) Mr. Gravis Tahiri, the company, Fairwest Shipping Company has been busy with the Western Province passengers’ trip which has now left Honiara for Western province yesterday, Tuesday, 1st March 2022.
“So now they are currently dealing with our case, the proposed trip – with the application for the ship’s exemption to travel to Makira has now been handed to the responsible authorities yesterday, Tuesday 1st March,” CDO Tahiri said.
Member of Parliament for Central Makira Constituency, Hon. Nestol Giro confirmed to Sunday Isles that the Constituency office is working very hard together with the Fairwest Shipping Company to prepare the vessel for the proposed trip and they have just reached the final stage where Fairwest now tender their application for the proposed trip to the responsible authorities.
“The traveling date will depend very much on the process by the authorities noting of the strict guidelines and protocols.
“After the application for exemption has been accepted by the authorities, a traveling date will be set aside by the shipping company, also a date will be set aside by Health Authorities for traveling passengers to be tested for COVID-19.
“Passengers with a negative result will be allowed to travel while those who are tested positive will have to stay back,” Hon. Giro said.
Hon. Giro further stated that the MUP Provincial Disaster Operation Centre (PDOC) have made all arrangement on the ground with regards to receiving the passengers and COVID-19 swabbing.
“All individuals will be required to quarantine once they arrive in Makira and cleared during swabbing.
“There are 3 proposed quarantine arrangements, 1) PDOC arranged quarantine site, 2) Community quarantine site – arranged by respective communities and villages to be used as a quarantine site for incoming people, 3) Self-Isolation at respective homes.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Province’s PDOC, also the Provincial Police Commander, PPC Peter Sitai, confirmed that they have plans and arrangements in place to receive the people.
“We are negotiating with communities and villages to set aside a building or house to be used as quarantine sites where arriving individuals can be kept after clearance from swabbing and other required protocols,” PPC Sitai said.
He further revealed that the province PDOC has proposed 2 sites to be used as quarantine and another to be used as an isolation site.
“However, work on these proposed facilities has not begun yet due to financial constraints so it is not possible to quarantine people there.
Mr. Sitai confirmed that their best option at the moment is to send people back to their respective communities or villages to be quarantined or put in isolation in already established sites.
In the meantime, Hon. Nestol Giro urged the people who are on the list to travel to the province to comply with protocols and requirements in place.
“The 2 main requirements for traveling are vaccination cards and a negative test result,” He said.
Sunday Isles understands that vessels have started leaving Honiara under strict conditions and arrangements with passengers and much-needed cargo including food and fuel.
