At the August meeting of the Coronavirus Task Force held yesterday, Governor Lolo Moliga asked for a repatriation plan in the event the government decides to bring home residents who are stranded off island.
And he has set next Thursday for an exercise or demonstration of this scenario: a Hawaiian Air flight is bringing in 300 passengers. 
The governor said while the spread of coronavirus continues to spiral upward in Hawaii and the mainland, “we cannot continue on the current path.”
He said a plan is needed for our people who are stranded off island.
The governor is giving the leaders and medical staff of the LBJ Hospital and Department of Health this week to brainstorm and come up with recommendations on whether or not a repatriation flight should be allowed. If yes, detail what steps are needed to ensure that its done safely. If a repatriation flight is not recommended, identify other options to take.
It’s the first time since the suspension of flights in late March due to the Covid-19 pandemic that Governor Lolo has mentioned the possibility of a repatriation flight. There was no mention in the governor’s statements at the Task Force meeting yesterday of the Tagata Tu Faatasi Alliance of American Samoa, which has circulated a petition asking local leaders to reconsider and allow a couple of repatriation flights to bring home residents who have been stranded in Hawaii and across the US mainland.
The governor named a committee to plan the exercise for a repatriation flight for next Thursday from 6pm -11:30 pm.
The committee is co-chaired by the Director of Port Administration -Taimalelagi Dr. Claire Poumele and Commissioner of Public Safety- Le’i Sonny Thompson.
Members are the CEO of LBJ Hospital-Faumuina John Faumuina, Directors of Health-Motusa Tuileama Nua, Public Works-Faleosina Voigt, Homeland Security-Alfonso Pete Galea’i, Acting Agriculture-Sala Dr. Mataese Samuelu, Chief Procurement Officer- Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola, and Acting Director of Youth and Women Affairs-Pa’u Roy Ausage.
