PRESS STATEMENT 2-2022
April 28, 2022
SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORTATION OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS INTO THE FSM
Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia – The Vital FSM Petroleum Corporation (“Vital”) takes this opportunity to thank His Excellency, President David W. Panuelo, the FSM National COVID-19 Task Force, the Pohnpei State COVID-19 Task Force, the FSM Maritime Working Group, the FSM Ambassador to Fiji, and the many others who played a role in the successful transportation of thirty of Vital’s essential workers into the FSM via a chartered Fiji Airways flight on April 6, 2022.Prior to the arrival in Pohnpei, passengers went through a supervised quarantine process of seven nights at the Tanoa International Hotel. Upon arrival into Pohnpei, passengers aboard Flight No. FJ 2270 immediately entered the Pohnpei Quarantine facility at Dekehtik. COVID-19 tests were conducted on April 7 and 11, with all passengers tested negative at each interval. After the final test, passengers were released by the Pohnpei State Task Force on the evening of April 11, 2022.
“We are extremely pleased that we had a 100% success rate with these passengers, and with the National Task Force, continued to keep the FSM COVID-19 free,” stated the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer and Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Johnny Adolph.
Vital’s team of essential workers are skilled contractors and employees who are able to address highly specialized repair and maintenance projects at each of our Terminals in Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap, including repairs to our Bulk Fuel Tanks and fuel transfer pipelines. Most of these projects have been on hold since the projects were stopped for the Christmas break in December 2019 and were unable to resume as FSM’s borders closed in March 2020.
In addition to Vital’s essential workers, twenty-nine other passengers were approved for this flight by the National Task Force. The additional passengers included repatriating students from the University of the South Pacific, as well as essential workers for entities including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Pacific Community (SPC), and healthcare workers for Yap and Chuuk.
The Chairman of the Board Mr. Faustino Yangmog indicated that “though we have had little choice but to recruit expatriates for these specialized positions, there are still open opportunities for qualified FSM citizens to join the organization.” The Human Resources Advisor Ms. Marleen Ngirametuker confirmed that a number of vacancies remain reserved for qualified FSM nationals, and these can be found at www.vitalenergy.fm/career-opportunities. Interested and qualified individuals are urged to apply online.
For inquiries, email info@fsmpc.com.