Government calls to respect late Anga’s family after entering the country without approval
Four local citizens who had been stranded in Papua New Guinea have entered the country last Friday without the government’s approval.
Solomon Airlines, Spirit of Solomon during the repatriation of the body of the late Barnabas Anga
The four locals were the dependents of the late Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, the late Barnabas Anga.
A statement from the government says the family had been stranded in Port Moresby and are not able to travel on the chartered flight that repatriated the late High Commissioner due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
They decided on their own accord without the government’s advice to board the Friday (20th August 2021) morning flight that arrived from Papua New Guinea to repatriate 63 Indonesian nationals from the Solomon Islands to Indonesia via Port Moresby.
“Unfortunately, 4 Solomon Island citizens being the dependents of the late Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, who had been stranded in Port Moresby decided on their own accord and against government advice to board the Friday morning flight. Four of the five citizens decided to ignore the advice given to them and were allowed to board the flight despite the advice to the family and the airline that they cannot board the flight,” the statement says.
The statement says the people were also advised that it would constitute a breach and an offense against the State of Public Emergency regulations if they returned without approval.
It adds the people have committed several offenses in boarding the flight but these will be addressed in due course.
Meanwhile, the government calls on the public to show compassion to the family and respect their privacy as they had suffered in a foreign country after losing their father and not being able to return with him to see him laid to eternal rest.
The people have tested negative for COVID-19 in their first and second tests while in Port Moresby.
They were tested negative after their arrival in Honiara and are now serving their 21 days quarantine for further testing and monitoring.
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