Governor arranges extra flight to retrieve choir contingent stranded in Manokwari

Medan (ANTARA) - North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution has arranged an extra flight for the province’s Pesta Paduan Suara Gerejawi (Pesparawi) contingent, which had been stranded in Manokwari, West Papua. The confirmation came in response to a viral social media post stating that the North Sumatra Pesparawi contingent could not return to Medan due to flight ticket problems. “So the solution is, they will come home tomorrow morning. We have arranged an extra flight with the Lion Group airline, so they can fly directly from Papua to Medan,” Bobby stated at the North Sumatra Governor’s Office on Tuesday. The governor explained that the issue arose from administrative mismanagement of travel arrangements handled by the People’s Welfare Bureau of the North Sumatra Regional Secretariat. He noted that before the contingent’s departure, he had reminded officials to ensure all travel requirements, including return tickets, were properly prepared. The National Church Choir Festival XIV/2026, competing for the President’s rotating trophy, took place in Manokwari, West Papua, from 18 to 28 June 2026. “This was a mistake by the People’s Welfare Bureau. Before they left, I actually reminded them during the audience session to prepare the return tickets from the start,” he said. The governor mentioned that the budget allocated for the contingent’s return was insufficient due to an increase in airfares, causing problems with booking the return tickets. “Because we know the budget they initially prepared was enough, but there was an increase in airfares, so the budget became insufficient,” he said. To resolve the matter, the North Sumatra Provincial Government took swift action by providing additional funding so that all contingent members could return home immediately. With the additional flight arranged, the North Sumatra Pesparawi contingent is scheduled to arrive back at Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Wednesday (1/7). “The North Sumatra Provincial Government will advance the cost of their return tickets so that the entire contingent can return home safely and comfortably,” said Bobby.