Heavier fines for breaches as State of Emergency Extends to April

$15,000 tala fine for Shipping & Airline companies found to breaching SOE orders.

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 17 MARCH 2021: Cabinet has approved the extension of the Covid-19 State of Emergency Orders from March 15 to April 12, 2021.

Several repatriation flights have also been approved to and from Samoa in March, April, May and June.

There are six flights scheduled for April including a two hour stop-over of an Australian military flight for refuelling before continuing on to the United States. None of the 12 crew will leave the aircraft while at the airport.

There is also a flight specifically for the returning Australians who have worked in Samoa, and to bring more Australians recruited to work with Government ministries.

A flight from Auckland, New Zealand is scheduled for 16 April 2021.

Samoans in the US and Europe who were booked on the cancelled December 2020 flight will return home on the Fiji Airways flight scheduled for 26 April.

The last flight in April is from China on the 30^th bringing in 80 contracted workers for the Matautu wharf, the Samoa and China agricultural project and the construction of the police academy school.

There is one flight from New Zealand scheduled for 14 May.

The two flights on the 4 and 25 of June are specifically for the returning seasonal workers.

Travel between Tokelau and Samoa continues   
Travel continues between the two islands unless the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises otherwise.

One of the conditions given to the Tokelauan travellers is to inform or identify their reason(s) for visiting Samoa.

Conditions for Samoa Airways & Talofa Airways flights to American Samoa
The two local airlines Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways have been given permission to enter American Samoa having satisfied all health conditions and that a list of all passengers travelling to and out of American Samoa is assessed by the SOE committee.

The flights must also be approved by the American Samoa Government before any flight departs for the territory.

Heavy Penalties for Airline and Shipping companies breaches
The Cabinet has approved a fine of $15,000 on any airline and shipping company found breaching the SOE orders for the first time, and $20,000 per day thereafter.

As for the crews, each will be fined $2,000 if proven they have breached the SOE orders.