By Martha Taumata Faavae
Stranded Samoan seafarers who have been agitating for months to be allowed to come home are finally granted their wish.
A flight is being organised for the 22 of January 2021 to fly 297 of them home.
The Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Papali’i Niko Lee Hang announced the official Government approval last Friday.
The decision to bring the seafarers home comes at a very sensitive time for travel from areas of the world they are working in.
The rampant spread of the pandemic virus in Europe and especially the United States where they work has made any homebound travel difficult.
A returning 23 year old seafarer sparked a huge scare a few weeks ago in the country when he was suspected of being a positive carrier of the coronavirus after health tests on his arrival.
Strict health restrictions enforced in Samoa was also highlighted by a scheduled flight direct from Los Angeles on 27 November 2020 that was cancelled.
There were 140 seafarers booked on that flight. All had to return to where they are accommodated and looked after on board ships owned by the shipping company they work for.
Government came under pressure from a video circulated on social media by a group of angry homesick seafarers who felt hard done by not being allowed to return home.
“ Government does not favour any special group and it is continuously looking out for the wellbeing of citizens caught up in travel restrictions overseas,” Papali’i tried to play down the pressure of complaints by the stranded Samoans.
The Minister did not say where the seafarers scheduled flight is originally coming from in 8 weeks times but a stopover is scheduled in New Zealand on its way to Samoa.
The Samoa Shipping Services is the local recruiting arm of Government looking after the hire of local seafarers for working contracts with international shipping companies.
General Manager Lautimuia Uelese Vaai confirmed that more than 200 of the seafarers have completed their working contracts.
The group booked on the special flight next monthis made up mostly of seafarers working on cruise liners with 64 assigned to cargo vessels.
“These seafarers brought in $14-$16 million tala a year,” Lautimuia highlighted the revenue into the national economy from the group.
He went on, however, to discredit many of the claims by some of the seafarers widely circulated in a video recording on social media alleging like being forced to buy their own food.
The claims are coming mainly from only one location on board the MSC Seaside vessel where seafarers are accommodated to await home travel.
“ The are 47 seafarers there and are not on working contracts for now but Government has been in negotiation with the shipping company for their continuing stay.
“The shipping company is also being asked if they can offer temporary employment for them while they wait to be repatriated home.
“Accommodation and meals are all provided free for all of them.”
Lautimuia also rejected claims by the protesting group of seafarers that some who are now on dry land are at high risks after the direct flight they were booked on from Los Angeles was called off.
“All are now back on board at sea and all are every week they are tested for the coronavirus and will continue to do so right up to when they are to return in the flight next year.”
The General Manager did not high the fact also that there were seafarers who contracted the coronavirus at the start of the pandemic around April-May.
New health restrictions are now enforced under the national state of emergency that the seafarers are carefully monitoring.
Anyone tested positive for the coronavirus within the next 6 months will not be allowed entry into Samoa. (see other story.)