BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
A total of 112 engineers arrived in the country on Sunday night to help with the construction of the 2023 Pacific Games stadium and other facilities in Honiara.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said all 112 engineers from China have also completed their two doses of vaccines upon their arrival.
The Prime Minister highlighted this during his nationwide address on Monday.
Sogavare said they will still serve out the normal 14 days in quarantine period at this stage.
He said there are another four flights on Friday from Brisbane, Indonesia, Port Moresby and Nadi so a total off 268 people are in the various quarantine stations, with one person in isolation.
“60 people have graduated at the quarantine stations last week,” he said.
He also said the ministry of health has commenced deployment to the border as of last week.
The flight from China on Sunday night saw the engineers and technical people disembarked just before midnight before going through immigration formalities.
They were whisked away to their quarantine stations after completing paperwork.
They will serve their quarantine period before being released to start work.
When welcoming those that arrived, Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana who was at the airport to witness and welcome the arrival of the 50,000 SinoPharm vaccine doses acknowledged the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) for supporting the Pacific Games project.
“Apart from the vaccines tonight we also welcome the 120 Chinese engineers who also arrived on board the chartered flight to assist with the 2023 Pacific Games construction project,” he said.
Minister Togamana said the current COVID-19 situation should not stop the country from undertaking some of its national projects, thus, he acknowledged PRC for its support towards a number of projects to prepare for the Games.
“Indeed, the global pandemic must not deter us from other national projects and programmes for our people and thus, sincere thank you to China and to the 120 engineers, we hope they enjoy their stay in Honiara,” he said.
It’s understood, PRC is funding and supporting the construction of about seven games’ venues and facilities.
