Relevant stakeholders will make the necessary arrangements to organize the repatriation of the body of a Ni-Vanuatu seasonal worker who died in a managed isolation facility in New Zealand on Wednesday night.
The Consul General for Vanuatu in Auckland, McKenzie Kalotiti said the deceased’s employer with the support of MBIE ( Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment), relevant Government agencies in both NZ and Vanuatu will make all the necessary arrangements to organize to repatriate the body back to Vanuatu and provide all necessary support to the family at this very sad time.
The RSE worker arrived in Auckland with a group of about 150 others earlier on Wednesday.
“I was advised last evening (Wednesday) by Group Captain Peter Johnson, General Manager Managed Isolation and Quarantine - Operations in NZ, that there had been a medical event at the Quarantine Hotel which had resulted in the death of an RSE worker from Vanuatu. The NZ Police then made contact with the Mission once a formal identification had been made and provided the details of the deceased. As per protocol these details were then given to Vanuatu Foreign Affairs as well as relevant agencies in NZ,” Mr Kalotiti said.
According to Mr Kalotiti, the other members of the group ‘are deeply shocked and saddened by this event as are we all.’
Authorities have notified the deceased's family of his passing.
The other RSE workers are undertaking mandatory isolation and tests for Covid-19 before they will be allowed to leave.
“Once the workers have completed their quarantine both the Consulate General and High Commission will reach out to the workers and visit them. In the meantime the NZ Government provides excellent medical and psychological support in quarantine, there are also Bislama speaking staff working at the Quarantine Hotel which will be of great comfort to the workers,” Mr Kalotiti said.
He said’” the Consulate General and High Commission are both deeply saddened by this news and send our sincere condolences to the family back in Vanuatu.”
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