The first of up to 200 guest workers from Samoa for StarKist Samoa arrived in the territory yesterday and are being quarantined for 24 hours at the Tradewinds Hotel.
The Chairman of the Covid-19 Task Force Acting Governor Talauega Eleasalo Ale said at a press conference yesterday that 100 workers are arriving this week beginning yesterday to Saturday and the next 100 will be arriving after they have completed their Covid vaccinations.
During a recruiting mission in Samoa last month, the cannery received more than 600 applications.
According to the Vice Chairman of the Task Force Attorney General Fainuulelei Ala’ilima Utu, the government approved StarKist’s request for 200 guest workers. However if the cannery needs more, it’s the Governor’s intention to approve additional numbers to enable the cannery to meet orders for the US Government. StarKist cannery supplies the US military and US Dept of Agriculture.
Today is another Medicaid flight which will arrive without passengers from Honolulu at 12:45 pm and depart at 3:00 pm with a full load of passengers.
If you missed our news last evening, this won’t be the last as earlier announced.
Funding has been made available for the Medicaid local match to add two more Medicaid flights, one on August 19 and another on August 30.
The August 30 flight will bring about 50-100 passengers and will be a test flight of the systems for the Safe Travel program before the first commercial flight by Hawaiian Airlines on September 13. Bids were opened yesterday for the contractor to design the website registry for the Talofa Pass which will clear all travelers entering the territory. The task force chairman said the system is crucial to ensuring the territory remains safe from Covid 19.
Travelers have to upload proof of vaccination, Covid 19 test results and other information on the website.
There will be no quarantine in Hawaii but travelers must have three negative Covid tests on the 10th and 5th day before departure and the last 48 hours before they board.
This last one is a revision from an earlier announcement which required a test 24 hours before departure.
