For allegedly breaching hotel rules
By FOLLET JOHN
Newsroom, Honiara
LOCAL students in Philippines currently placed at hotels in preparation for their repatriation flights have been issued with strong advise to comply with instructions issued by the government.
This followed reports that some of the students placed in hotels while waiting to return this weekend have allegedly breached quarantine rules.
Both the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Dr Franco Rodie and the Attorney General John Muria Jnr issued the advise and warning on Sunday.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education in a statement during Sunday’s radio talk-back show has appealed to the students to listen and follow instruction.
Dr Franco Rodie said, that there were information received from different sources that some of the students fail to cooperate with the ministry and the efforts taken by the government to repatriate them.
“We have been receiving information that some of the students do not want to move to these hotels arranged fr them,” he said.
He added students studying outside of Manila should be there at the hotels for fourteen days, so that they can undergo the test before they board the next flight.
“Some of them neglect their responsibilities; in fact those who have been shifted to the hotels haven’t followed the instruction of the hotels as well.
“These are some of the temporary quarantine centres we have so far been established through the help of the government,” he said.
The PS claimed there were students who asked to leave their hotels for a walk and some of them even ask for alcohol from the hotels.
“We do not know that those who go out from the hotel for a walk may get drunk and that will be quite risky,” he said.
He reminded the students that those who will be repatriated from the Philippines must be Covid-19 free before they can board the flights.
“We have made all efforts to forewarn and remind the students. We haven’t given up even if those students have disobeyed some of their instructions,” he said.
Dr Rodie yesterday appealed to all parents and their relatives to remind the students to abide by the rules and instructions.
“I am making a plea once again especially to the parents of those students who are disobeying our instruction to take heed of our instruction,” he said.
To help address the situation the Attorney General Office has been instructed to issue a notice to all the students.
The notice was sent to the students through the student president in the Philippines.
And from the response that have received students in the hotels have been advised to follow the rules, the PS said.
“I hope and I pray that those students will be able to take seriously the instruction, the advice and what they need to do so that they can continue to be Covid-19 free.
“I cannot ask for more, but cooperation and responsibility of the students.
“I ask the parents especially those parents who are able to communicate with their children to advice them to follow our instruction as well as the protocols that are put in place in those hotels that we have arranged for them,” he said.
Attorney General John Muria Jnr said the notice issued by him clearly stated when students are coming in the hotels they are not allow to leave as part of security measures;.
“And if they are to leave they are subjecting themselves to security risk.
“Thus, if you leave, you are not allowed re-enter as you may contact with the virus and become a national risk in terms of our country’s health when returning home,” he said.
He said students who fail to comply with the instruction will be asked to leave the hotels and may not board the flight.
So far 12 students have tested positive for the virus last week.
They have been placed in isolation with the support from Philippines Red Cross.
