Citizens can return: Manning

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
CITIZENS of PNG working in India will not be denied their right to return to the country, says National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning.
But he said there would be protocols in place on quarantine on their arrival in the country. “(Our) position is that we can never deny the right of any Papua New Guinean living abroad to come back home,” Manning said.
He said the National Control Centre (NCC) was aware of the Covid-19 surge unfolding in India and was not only reviewing flights from India but other countries facing a rise in Covid-19 cases as well.
Manning told The National that the NCC was working with the Indian High Commission, Immigration Department and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to resolve the matter.
“We are aware of the situation in India and other countries faced with a similar situation,” he said.
“We are constantly reviewing who should be allowed (to PNG) from these countries.
“At this point, we are of the view that we shouldn’t be risking the country (by) accepting people travelling from these countries, whether they are citizens or transiting through.”
India has been recording more than 320,000 Covid-19 cases daily on the worst strains of the Covid-19.
“We only have the mild strain at the moment and unfortunately, we have incurred casualties from that,” Manning said.