A first year scholarship student who had paid for a flight to come home before borders close has spoken out about the dillema she and another sudent are going through.
Kailua Rogers and Romania Pose took a five hour bus drive on Thursday afternoon from Suva to Nadi. They had budgeted for accommodation for one night anticipating their flight to Samoa on Friday at 1:30pm.
However the flight was cancelled and that followed the announcement of Samoa’s State of Emergency orders which included the closure of all flights to Fiji.
Ms Rogers has reached out to say that they are running out of money and just want to be home.
“I would want nothing more but to be at home with my family”
“I’ve paid for my flight and all I want is to come home,”
“I’m scared”.
“We are now staying in this hotel with not much money on hand and don’t know what to do”.
“We are both studying at USP and trying to come home”
Ms Rogers said when they went to the airport the following day, they were told the flight was cancelled.
“We were devasted and scared as we do not have much money on us and we really just want to come home due to everything that is happening.
Ms Rogers told Samoa Global News that they had tried to get help from Fiji airways.
“They said that it was not there fault as it’s not them, it’s the government closing their borders, this was on Friday morning”.
The students say that they have received an email from the Samoan Counsellor based in Suva advising them that the Government did not have a plan to bring them home.
“We got an email saying that “The government will not evacuate us due to issues such as resources”.
“I would want nothing more but to be at home with my family, I’ve paid for my flight all I want is to come home”.
Kailua’s sister, Samantha Rogers has posted this public request to the Government:
Dear PM, Parliament, Cabinet, Fiji airways and anyone else!
I really don’t understand why you guys are suspending the Fiji flights. We have kids stranded in Nadi as they were supposed to board a flight to come home Friday then told they’re coming home on sunday. They are all stuck in hotel rooms going halves on paying for rooms and sharing meals. Yes I understand we are all trying to take cautious measures. But these are OUR kids (whom are students with no families in Fiji and barely any cash on hand) that are terrified and just want to come home to be with their parents and families. Just let them board the sunday flight and come home. Have them isolated at faleolo if necessary but they just want to come home! I’m begging on behalf of my baby and all her friends that are stranded to just let them come home!Dear PM, Parliament, Cabinet, Fiji airways and anyone else!
I really don’t understand why you guys are suspending the Fiji flights. We have kids stranded in Nadi as they were supposed to board a flight to come home Friday then told they’re coming home on sunday. They are all stuck in hotel rooms going halves on paying for rooms and sharing meals. Yes I understand we are all trying to take cautious measures. But these are OUR kids (whom are students with no families in Fiji and barely any cash on hand) that are terrified and just want to come home to be with their parents and families. Just let them board the sunday flight and come home. Have them isolated at faleolo if necessary but they just want to come home! I’m begging on behalf of my baby and all her friends that are stranded to just let them come home!
(0)
