More than 20 Tongan nationals stranded in Fiji since March after Tonga closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, claim they have been neglected by their government.

The Fiji Times reported a claim by the Tongans that their government had turned a blind eye to their pleas to return home after it allowed 14 Chinese into the Kingdom via Vanuatu late last month to work on a government project.

In a joint statement, the Tongans who desperately want to return home, say the Chinese nationals received unfair priority for Tonga's few quarantine places.

“Tonga trusts China, the place where COVID- 19 originated,” the statement read.

“We have been trying to communicate with Tonga, even offered alternatives for getting us home, but it seems it fell on deaf ears.

“Tonga insisted we go to New Zealand, quarantine there for 14 days, then leave for Tonga.

“Every country on this earth is committed and willing to assist in any way possible to repatriate their citizens - except Tonga.”

The Tongans had been stranded for over a year in different parts of the world, America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, before travelling to Fiji, expecting to connect to a flight from Fiji to Tonga on the last leg of their journeys home. But the flights were cancelled after Fiji's COVID-19 outbreak.

“The first group completed their 14 days’ quarantine in March 2021, the second group finished their quarantine on April 8, 2021, and had the government have a COVID plan in place, both groups should have left Fiji.

“The third group completed their 14 days quarantine on April 28 2021, while our repatriation was scheduled for April 29 2021. Unfortunately, a week before our departure, a couple of COVID-19 cases were found in Fiji, and Tonga cancelled our flight.”

Luke Rawalai of the Fiji Times reported that questions sent to Tongan Minister Poasi Tei and Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet for the Prime Minister’s Office, Edgar Cocker, on Wednesday last week and yesterday, had remained unanswered.