The group that’s lobbying for repatriation flights to bring home residents who are stranded in Hawaii and the US mainland, Tagata Tu Faatasi Alliance of American Samoa is flooding social media platforms with their messages.
After a denial by the Chairman of the Coronavirus Task Force of a request by the chairman of the House Health Committee Rep Vesi Fautanu Jr for another medical and repatriation flight to take patients for off island treatment and bring home hundreds of residents who have been stuck in Hawaii and the mainland, some members of the group are now suggesting that they seek help from the federal government.
Those behind the effort, including ASG and federal government employees, business people and children of elderly parents who traveled off- island for medical check-ups, have posted their personal stories, including videos of their parents expressing their longing to return home.
Numbers are still being tallied but so far the group has recorded almost 400 people stuck in different parts of the US since flights to the territory from Hawaii were suspended in late March.
Tu Faatasi has submitted a strategic plan, supported by data and statistics on a repatriation plan to the Coronavirus Task Force for repatriation of stranded residents and quarantine procedures and requirements for the travelers.
It says on its Facebook page, “Our group has been stranded and unable to return home to American Samoa since the border closure on March 26, 2020.
Our aim is to collect data on where everyone is stranded so that it may be shared with the American Samoa Government in hopes we can convince them to safely repatriate American Samoa residents.”
The group is also asking all LBJ Hospital patients who traveled via the Mediaid charter last month and all patients who traveled before the border closure to contact the LBJ Off-Island Referral Office.
More information is available on the Tagata Tu Faatasi Alliance of American Samoa FB page.
