Palau takes a step to safely re-open borders

NGERULMUD, Aug 7, 2020, RNZ. Palau is to open up its borders to travellers but still under strict protocols, Radio New Zealand reported.

Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau has signed an executive order to establish essential air services beginning no later than September 1st.

The order calls for “regularly and reliably scheduled” flights so that necessary travel could be planned and “taken on a commercial basis.”

Palau is still one of the few nations in the world with no confirmed cases of Covid-19.

It has successfully repatriated over 100 of its citizens.

It also recently opened its borders to a US military “humanitarian mission.”

Remengesau said Palau was safely transitioning to a ” new normal.”

He said the first two countries Palau would establish “essential air services” were Taiwan and the United States.

The number of flights would be based on the capacity of the National Emergency Committee and Ministry of Health to handle in terms of the available number of quarantine rooms and services required.

Every passenger will be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result 72 hours before to boarding a plane.

Palau airport on Babelthuap islandPalau airport on Babelthuap island Photo: RNZI Walter Zweifel
Government regulations mandate the person should also have booked a quarantine room before arrival.

The cost of the quarantine and testing would be shouldered by the passengers except for the Palauan citizens.

All passengers were required to undergo quarantine upon arrival but quarantine days would depend on the originating port.

The order said that previous repatriation of workers had provided front-line workers in Palau the necessary readiness training.

Travel restrictions will remain for Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.

Travellers transiting in those areas within 14 days of their arrival to Palau will also be restricted from entering Palau.

Earlier President Remengesau told reporters Palau couldn’t continue to have their borders closed because eventually, everyone would suffer.

“At the same time, we are doing preventative measures, but we are prepared so if there’s one that comes then we will deal with it,” he said.

But with no end in sight for Covid-19, he said the economy was taking a beating from the pandemic.

“For next year, Palau can’t continue to get loans and not have a source of revenue. This will force us to lay-off people. It will affect the household. It will force us to close the government which impacts education, health, public safety, and other related work,” he said.

On Monday schools also reopen after months of closure.

But the Ministry of Education underlined that schools would be putting in place preventive measures.