Flouting rules

The National Main Stories
Route 9 checker Raymond Kila sanitising the hands of passengers before they enter the bus in Port Moresby yesterday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI

By STAFF REPORTERS
FLOUTING of public health measures and hygiene safety rules intended to prevent the community transmission of the Covid-19 continued in Port Moresby yesterday, as 55 more cases were reported.
It was the highest in a single day for PNG, with 37 recorded in Western and 18 in Port Moresby. The national total stands at 287.
The 37 in Western were the results of samples sent to Brisbane by the OK Tedi Mine recently.
The breakdown of the 287 cases is: Port Moresby 224, Western 47, Central 5, Morobe 4, ENB 2, and one each in West Sepik, New Ireland, Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
In Port Moresby yesterday, on the first day after the lifting of 14-day restrictions:

  • many residents still refused to wear masks in public or practise social distancing in public areas;
  • buses continued to carry more than 15 passengers;
  • buses were carrying passengers not wearing masks;
  • no hand sanitisers were provided for bus passengers.

A survey by The National around Port Moresby found a lack of enforcement in parts of the city.
Police Commander for the National Capital District and Central, Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr, said police would start enforcing the measures from Monday next week.
“Non-compliance of the new normal measures by public transport owners will see their buses impounded,” he said. “Police will be implementing the new measures (to) start on Monday next week.
“This week, we eased into the operation sternly warning those not complying with the new measures, telling them what must be done to ensure those on board are safe and their (public transport vehicles) will continue to operate,” Wagambie said.
“The (public transport) operators are duty bound to adhere to the measures.
“We are embarking on a friendlier way of enforcement. We are giving today and tomorrow for the operators to get used to it and comply.”
He said the same would be enforced in Central by police and transport authorities.
Road Transport Authority chief executive officer Nelson Terema told The National that enforcement officers stationed at the bus stops told him that bus operators had been complying with the orders.
However the survey by The National saw some bus drivers failing to comply with public health measures.
Buses operating in Gordon were clearly carrying more than 15 passengers, with many not wearing masks.

13 comments

  • Under safe side of public transport all the boss crew should let all the public for not less then 15 people, other wise there should provide their own safety on open area.

  • As a resident of Pom. I am scared for my children n myself. We pray n same time action preventive measures. Now, other citizens not wearing mask should be arrested or spot fine. What is your view on this?

  • PNGean’s think they are immune to the novel corona virus, just wait and see what will happen on the next episode

  • WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY! IF YOU SEE THEM FLOUTING RULES, TELL THEM OFF!
    OR GET ON ANOTHER PMV WHO YOU SEE IS COMPLYING TO THE COVID-19 PROTOCOLS!

    WE CANT RELY ON GOVERNMENT/LAW ENFORCERS! LETS FIGHT THIS TOGETHER

  • I quit travelling on Bus to and from work as long as Covid 19 is here. Besides I find walking the best exercise.

  • We are not a dictatorship like China were you can easily use the force of police and army to impose new laws on people. Enforcement of law in PNG is hard because our country has a limited number of manpower.
    Therefore compliance is important. But PNG attitude and Mentality of I no care and indifference paired with ignorance makes it the most difficult society for any government when it comes to cooperation for the well-being of the nation through basic compliance of rules and guidelines.

    All the best then PNG … Kantri igo het.

  • Laws are made to protect everyone, people are are careless because the death toll is very low. hope the virus doesn’t mutate.

  • have seen some of the basses carrying more than 15 passengers and yet the bus crew is charging them with k1.50 especially bus route 16 and 4 so the responsible authorities must see it through if the are following the COVID 19 rules.

  • FOR our good all the public must follow the safety measures given so that we will redice the spread of COVID19. Police must not harm the drivers of the buses but warning them for not following the safety measures or stop the buses who do no following the measures to stop running unless they are prepare to follow the safety measures.

  • My advise to Papua new Guineans is that, let us not be stubborn on what the Government of the day instructed us to do because this virus is not something to play about but take it seriously for the safety of all the citizen of this country. We must know that we are not immune to the disease and anybody can acquire that disease so we must protect ourselves from spreading more to the community.

    God will do his part if we first help ourselves. 10Q

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