ABOUT 200 Solomon Islands Government (SIG) sponsored students studying at the University of the South Pacific (USP) at Laucala campus in Fiji were shocked after their flight were cancelled in the final hours of the departure yesterday.
Reports reaching the paper said the students were about to board a bus from Suva-Nadi when they were told to disembark.
A student Saddam Usuramo told the Solomon Star last night that the issue was unfortunate and frustrating.
He said that they were with their entire luggage and about to board a bus from Suva-Nadi when they were told that the flight was cancelled. The
It was supposed to be the 7th charter transporting most of the government sponsored students back for their holiday.
The delay has affected most of the students who have run short of cash to sustain them.
Usuramo said that their left over money was already spent in shopping last week thinking that it’s their last week in Fiji.
“But somehow things turned the other way round and wow we have nothing. To make it worst students who reside in the Halls of Residence and rent off campus have already signed-off or withdraw from their residences.
“And to go back to the houses or halls would cost us extra money and now we have nothing left because we only receive our study allowance up to November and not December,” he revealed.
However, the Solomon Islands Students Association (SISA) have negotiated with the Halls of Residence to allow the students to store their luggage and while waiting for their flight.
Some of the students managed to secure accommodation at the Halls of Residence while others are residing with friends and relatives.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the SISA vice President Derick Liosulia confirmed that the cancellation was because the flight from Samoa from Nadi was also cancelled.
“A number of local students studying at Alafua Campus in Samoa were supposed to be on the charter flight due to the cancellation of the Samoa-Nadi flight it has affected the charter flight,” he said.
In the statement he said that the education attaché office in Suva is trying its best to accommodate all the affected students.
“Our education attaché office will prepare your allowance payment today (yesterday) and hopefully it will be disbursed to you today.”
He revealed that the re-schedule flight will probably be on Wednesday 3rd, December (tomorrow).
By STEPHEN DI’ISANGO
In Auki
