Nineteen frontline Ni-Vanuatu workers now in quarantine after positive Covid-19 cases on Noumea flight
Nineteen frontline workers in Vanuatu have been placed in quarantine after two positive Covid cases were found among 18 ni-Vanuatu repatriated from New Caledonia last Friday.
The Immigration and Customs workers join staff from Air Vanuatu who are now in quarantine with the 18 people who arrived from Noumea.
Prime Minister Bob Loughman said the government is still not able to say whether or not the two cases had the delta variant.
Meanwhile the Vanuatu government has stopped the popular annual music event, Fest Napuan, because of Covid-19.
Samoa lifts ban on travellers from American Samoa
Samoa has lifted the ban on travellers from American Samoa which was put in place three weeks ago after the territory reported its first coronavirus case.
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa told local media that according to a report the territory's confirmed cases no longer pose a threat.
Samoa prime minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa chairing her first FAST party cabinet meeting. Photo: Eyespy Radio (Samoa) 87.5
Flights to American Samoa were not interrupted but Samoa banned travellers from the territory until the strain of their positive cases was determined.
Fiame said flights to and from the territory will operate on a Thursday and Saturday.
She noted that Samoa had been sending patients to American Samoa who needed CT scans, the cat scan at Samoa's main hospital has been down for some months.
KHJ News understands that some of the patients have been waiting to return home during the ban on travellers from American Samoa.
Meanwhile the New Zealand government has opened up more opportunities for quarantine free travel from Samoa.
Fiame said that New Zealand citizens and those with permanent residency status will be given quarantine free travel into New Zealand from Samoa.
Also afforded quarantine free entry to New Zealand are Samoan patients who qualify under the medical treatment scheme.
According to Fiame, the case of scholarship students to New Zealand are being discussed.
Vanuatu govt says all its workers must be vaccinated
All government workers must now be vaccinated against Covid-19 in Vanuatu.
Vanuatu's Public Service Commission said any civil servants who aren't vaccinated or who have only had their first dose, are to stay away from work.
There is no legislation in place to allow such a sanction on workers, but Commission Chair, Simil Johnson, said the Public Service Commission is responsible for ensuring everyone is protected from the covid virus.
The Commission has given two weeks for about 3000 employees of the Public Service Commission to be vaccinated.
Members of the public entering government offices need to show their vaccination identification at the security gate.
HRPP in Samoa will go ahead with Vaiusu Bay, if returned to power
Samoa opposition leader said if his HRPP party is returned to power it will go ahead with the scrapped port development at Vaiusu Bay.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told voters in the Falealupo constituency, ahead of next month's by-elections, that he had urged Chinese leaders not to stop the project.
The Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi FAST Party government stopped the port project when it took office.
Tuilaepa claims the cancellation was due to the ongoing feud between the west and China.
He reminded these countries what the late South African President, Nelson Mandela, had said "your enemies are not our enemies".
The former prime minister said the company which was to do the work on the proposed Vaiusu project is now doing repair and patch up work at the Apia wharf.
He said the same company had done a feasibility study of Asau harbour and had the technology to deepen the channel to improve shipping.
The former prime minister said this would create many job opportunities for the Asau and Falealupo districts.