Repatriation flights stopped

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Foreign Affairs Department has stopped chartered international flights for the repatriation of citizens and also cut back by seven days the period of quarantine in Port Moresby to save costs.
Department acting deputy secretary John Yamin who is in charge of the Covid-19 operations confirmed that the last flight arrived from the Philippines on Tuesday last week.
Yamin told The National that some details would be released on the last flight and the quarantining of passengers in hotels in Port Moresby which the Government was paying for.
Yamin said the department had made a submission to the Government.
It is understood that the department has used up funds allocated for the repatriation of citizens from abroad and the 14-day quarantining of those arriving in the country.
A source said the Government did not have any more funds to meet the costs of chartered flights and hotels for quarantining.
The source said international flights were now opened so there was no further need for charter flights.
The Government has reduced the number of days for quarantine from 14 to seven and will also allow people to self-quarantine at home instead of staying at hotels.
The Government opened the borders two weeks ago and relaxed other restrictions to help the economy recover faster.