OPPOSITION SAYS DCGA DANCING TO CHINA’S TUNE ON PLANNED FLIGHT

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The Opposition Group is appalled by the arrogance shown by the Government in its plan to proceed with the chartered flight to bring 19 Chinese nationals to work on the Pacific Games 2023.

The Group says it supports the Government policy on the fight against COVID-19 that “… the government will safeguard the health of SI population … it will not compromise safety and security measures to maintain Solomon Islands position as a COVID-19 free-country … and that the health of our people takes priority over all else …”

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The Group points out that the planned charter flight to China however contradicts all these good policy intentions.

“It seems when it comes to China, this Government is prepared to bend its own rules, undermine its own policies and even compromise the health of our people. This is unacceptable!

“The clarifications made by the Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM) did not remove the health risks involved. All ASEAN countries, including China, are still high risk countries with the virus.

“Contrary to his explanations, the virus does not transmit through human beings only. Hundreds of cases both in Australia and elsewhere, have shown that people have been infected when handling infected packages and items,” the group states.

The Groups says that sending a Solomon Airlines aircraft and crew to China and back, is a risk that should not be taken, adding that the country is not prepared to handle an outbreak, and while we are still COVID-19 free, the government’s policy “… to maintain that must be protected at all cost …”, as the Prime Minister puts it.

The Group adds that the Government must not gamble with the health of our people thus,  bringing people in from China to work on the Pacific Games project is a gamble not worth the risk.

“The Pacific Games should no longer priority under the current international health risk situation,” the group further added.

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Opposition Press