17 Apr 2003

Chinese officials in Palau to repatriate stranded workers

4:32 pm on 17 April 2003

The Chief of Staff for the President of Palau, Billy Kuartei, says a contingent of officials from Beijing is now in Palau and is working with the government to expedite the repatriation of over 200 stranded Chinese workers.

They have been stranded in Palau since January after their Taiwanese employers Orientex failed to give them their contract-guaranteed tickets home and thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

After a series of peaceful protests, the workers were arrested after barricading themselves inside a restaurant last week.

Mr Kuartei says he met this morning with the Chinese officials who thanked Palau for its treatment of the workers.

"The charges of the Republic of Palau against the workers are not a priority. We would like to reach an agreement with them and then if they cooperate then if they all leave peacefully by back to their country, the charges are not important and yes we can actually drop these charges."

Billy Kuartei says the court system should secure the unpaid wages of the workers claims, while he expects the workers to be able to leave Palau within a week.