Covidiot Cruisers in the Solomon Islands

[GordMay]

All Three Foreigners Detained Tested Negative for COVID-19
➥ https://www.solomontimes.com/news/al...-covid19/10477


Joint Travel Advisory - SOLOMON ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
This travel advisory is applicable to all travellers and crew regardless of mode of travel
Effective immediately all non-citizens will not be permitted to enter the Solomon Islands
➥ https://www.flysolomons.com/library/...y-4-210320.pdf

[theDangerz]

Originally Posted by SalingSue

"self protection" from a little sailboat sitting at anchor?
Paranoia is not healthy, nor conducive to individual liberty

"from a little sailboat sitting at anchor" that may also be carrying an infectious disease that could wipe out a portion of their population with very limited access to health care options to combat it??
Yes!

These days that's not paranoia.
That's actually exactly how most of/much of the world has been dealing with current events at the moment, and rightfully so.

Having now quarantined off of two different island nations during covid (and having tested and checked in/out of 3 more since the pandemic began) I can report that most islands/countries are indeed taking this very seriously not only from a government/control stance, but also the entire population of these islands.

Most islands are small communities without great health care options and are banding together to take of each other as they always do... in most cases that means doing what it takes for the good of the whole, which may and often does include complete lockdown, quarantine and mask mandates, frequent testing, contact tracing etc.

Any boat selfish enough to illegally wander into their waters in the middle of a global pandemic should be dealt with in a way that fits the crime/risk to their people in current times.

There are many many boats (including us) having to change cruising plans away from the pacific at the moment... but choosing to enter and endanger a remote island country that's chosen to be on lockdown is not a simple accident and points to selfish and thoughtless motives.

Covidiot seems fair to me.

[GordMay]

The Government [Solomon Islands] is conscious of the welfare of its citizens in view of the confirmed cases being imported through the repatriation flights coming from high-risk countries. It is very cautious of the potential importation of the virus into the country and wish to remind all incoming travelers to comply with the following requirements:

That the Joint Travel Advisory No.4 issued by the Solomon Islands Government dated 21 March 2020 is currently in force and that all incoming travelers must take heed and comply with.
With reference to the JTA No.4 paragraph 1.1, all non-nationals who wish to enter Solomon Islands MUST apply to the Office of the Prime Minister through the COVID-19 Oversight Committee for exemptions approval. Applications can be forwarded through the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.
All persons entering Solomon Islands will undergo mandatory quarantine at a Government identified quarantine station for a specified period provided under the Solomon Islands Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Regulations 2020.
All persons entering Solomon Islands from COVID-19 affected countries (but with regressing rate of new infections and decreasing number of active cases) must provide two negative test results from their country of origin 14 -12 days and 72 hours before travelling to Solomon Islands and will undergo mandatory 14 days quarantine and surveillance at a Government identified quarantine station. Further, they will undergo a required number of qPCR tests for COVID-19 to be determined by the Solomon Islands Government Health Authorities.
All persons entering Solomon Islands from very high risks COVID-19 affected countries with infection rate increasing, consistently serious or wide community transmission report must provide three negative test results 21 days prior to travel (day 21-18, 14-12 and 3 days before travel). All persons are required to undergo 21 days in-country mandatory quarantine period, and be required to undertake a number of qPCR tests for COVID-19 to be determined by the Solomon Islands Government Health Authorities.
It is a prerequisite for all incoming travelers to MUST complete the Public Health Declaration Form and Instructions on the Conduct Form truthfully and return to the Solomon Islands Government Health Authorities 5 clear days before travelling into Solomon Islands. All completed pre-departure forms can be forwarded through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade or any Solomon Islands Missions Overseas nearest to your location. Anyone who fail to comply and respond truthfully will be penalized with a $10,000 fine or 5-years imprisonment or both.
The Solomon Islands government may advice Solomon Airlines to deny any person from boarding if they do not meet the above requirements.
Persons may also be denied boarding at the gate if and when symptoms of COVID-19 are physically identified on them.
Foreign nationals will meet their own quarantine costs at Government quarantine Hotels upon entry into Solomon Islands.

All persons travelling or intending to travel to Solomon Islands are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with these travel requirements.

[category4jay]

I can’t wait to hear what these captains have to say.

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by category4jay

I can’t wait to hear what these captains have to say.

"Having a sailboat gives you the right to go where you want, when you want. That is the way of we do things on sailboats."


What other possible explanation is there?

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by chrisr

covid aside, you simply cannot enter another country without clearing customs etc (right of innocent passage is different)

suspect these guys are in for a world of pain and (if the facts we have are correct), rightly so. such stupidity only makes it harder for the rest of us...

cheers,

Amen to the above. Stupid, rude and selfish.

Leave a clean wake (SSCA)is a great motto to live by.

Jim sv Gaia

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by SalingSue

Creepy

Same thing (locals reporting possible offending boats) happened/happening here in British Columbia waters. Certainly seemed/seems appropriate to me. Not "creepy" at all (unless you are referring to offending boats... they're the creeps).

[Cpt Mark]

Creepy? Absolutely not. It's their country, their rules, their laws. Period. You don't like them then don't go there.

[TomThumb]

Originally Posted by SalingSue

"self protection" from a little sailboat sitting at anchor?
Paranoia is not healthy, nor conducive to individual liberty

Wow, entitled much?

I've been a yachtie who has also been policing borders for 30 plus years and investigated 'small yachts' who have been smuggling people (for a price not any humanitarian cause), drugs, weapons, criminals, exotic animals and of course quarantinable plant and animal products. The vast majority are sensible, registered and clear into a country.

But a small, entitled minority seem to think that maritime borders are somehow different to land borders and the whole passports, immigration and customs things shouldn't apply to them. The liberty and freedom you claim to seek doesn't come freely and is defended for the Solomon Islands people by their law enforcement and military agencies.

Closed borders have saved lives. These two boats are at best foolish, at worst criminally arrogant.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by TomThumb

Wow, entitled much?

...

These two boats are at best foolish, at worst criminally arrogant.

Well said, and great points TomThumb. Appreciate you putting fingers to keyboard. The sheer stupidity of some people's posts earlier in the thread beggars belief.

I'll tell you what though, the jail in Honiara, like in most island nations wont be any fun at all. Neither guards nor prisoners will be sympathetic. Likely too they'll loose their boats and have to fly home at their own expense.

[contrail]

"Creepy"? Not even remotely the case. Here in the BVI, we have had about 76 cases, of which about 60 resulted from a single, illegal entry from St. Thomas, who then interacted with locals for a day or two. That person's "freedom" ends where the freedom of an entire island was threatened. We have Covidiots on CF, it would appear, as well.

[Apollo366]

Those people are disgusting! And I for one hope they get the book thrown at them because of their inexcusable behavior.

The concept of "Having a sailboat gives you the right to go where you want, when you want. That is the way of we do things on sailboats." has to be something out of a Fantasy Novel, it is so wrong on all levels.


And if I didn't make myself clear, the local government officials are absolutely correct in their actions.

Thank you Fore & Aft for starting this thread and I hope it gets very wide distribution in the cruising community.

I was going to go cruising the So Pacific Islands this year, but obviously that's not happening. Next year is so iffy & problematic that 2022 is likely when it I will go, if I'm still able to sail that is.

Thank you again Fore & Aft for posting the link to the history of deadly infections in the Pacific and all other island groups. Those that forget history are condemned to repeat it!

Capt Wayne
SV Apollo

[Knot Safety]

Hmmm. Not much difference between this and the BVI event. Except there the officials were proactive and caught the people before interactions with locals.

By intent, I am taking the other side trying to help some folks see the similarities between the two. I full expect to get flamed, but so be it.

Each nation is sovereign. When you cross their borders, you follow their rules. If you don’t, you pay the consequences

What are borders any ways? Simply a demarcation of where the rules change from one regime to the next.

I hope these folks lose their boat and get fined and sent home. I wish similar had happened to the bvi folks. Neither was an “honest” mistake

[barnakiel]

I think it is kind like you visit a country you are supposed to check in before you start cruising there.



So it seems these people in their boats disregarded the requirement, that is one of the mistakes they have made.


It can be costly though, up to FORFEITURE of the vessels.


Normal people do not do this.


b.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

Creepy? Absolutely not. It's their country, their rules, their laws. Period. You don't like them then don't go there.

I agree with you that it is their country and their rules, but yes, it is creepy and rather Orwellian.