Basil directs registry to halt programme

By BRADLEY MARIORI
THE National Identification Programme (NID) registration in Lae was put on hold on Thursday indefinitely, National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil says.
Basil gave the direction to PNG Civil and Identity Registry (PNGCIR) registrar-general Noel Mobiha to temporarily shut down the PNGCIR office until further notice.
“The direction is being taken basically to enable management to put in place standard operating procedures which will ensure overall Covid-19 preparedness of registry staff in Lae and very shortly with other provincial and district operations around the country to be on par with what has been undertaken in Port Moresby,” he said.
“In emergency situations like this, we can’t expose both our staff and the public to the outbreak to this global pandemic,” Basil said.