Tanjungpinang - Many bauxite mining workers have been trapped in the Solomon Islands, Oceania in the last few months. The majority of them come from the Riau Islands Province because they were recruited by agents in Tanjungpinang.

Due to the pandemic, the company's activities have been reduced. They also took the option to be sent home with having to experience a pay cut. However, this never happened until the workers were adrift. Some are on tugboats, some are on the land according to their respective job specifications.

Head of the Technical Implementation Unit of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (UPT BP2MI) Tanjungpinang, Mangiring Hasoloan Sinaga, guaranteed that they would be sent home immediately.

The repatriation will be done in stages. BP2MI requested assistance from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to assist in conducting talks with the company to complete the obligations towards these workers.

"From the data collection that has been conducted by the Central BP2MI, there are 123 TKI who work in the Solomon Islands. Most of this amount came from the Riau Islands, "said Mangiring.

He said he held a meeting with the families of PMI (The Indonesian Red Cross Society)  / TKI (Indonesian Migrant Workers) and distribution companies that facilitated members of the Riau Islands Regional House of People's Representatives (DPRD), Rudy Chua at the Kepri DPRD Office, Tanjungpinang, Saturday (11/14/2020) afternoon.

If there are no obstacles, the first repatriation will take place on 17 November 2020. However, due to limited capacity, in the first stage, there are 30 PMIs from Riau Islands who will be sent home first.

"For the next return, of course, it will adjust to the conditions on the field. If the ability of PT. BMSI Limited is limited, of course, we will use the power of the state to bring home the remaining PMI," he said.