Covid-19 vaccination is voluntary, says Onglo

Assistant Commissioner of Police, NCD/Central Anthony Wagambie Jr
addressing protesters during a peaceful rally against the Covid-19 vaccination
outside Parliament yesterday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI

THE Government will ensure that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination is voluntary and no one will be forced to get vaccinated, Police Minister William Onglo says.
He said the Government’s stance was that the Covid-19 vaccination is voluntary.
“We are not forcing you to get the vaccine and the police will not come and arrest you if you are not vaccinated,” he said.
Onglo said this after receiving two petitions regarding the Covid-19 vaccination and the no-jab-no-job policy from the general public, non-governmental organisations and civil society partners outside Parliament House yesterday.
Onglo and National Pandemic Controller David Manning received the first petition signed by the People’s Power Movement, PNG Union for a Free West Papua, PNG Anti-Corruption Movement Inc, Millenium Good Government, Voice of PNG and other civil groups and the second by the general public after a peaceful protest from Unagi Oval to the Parliament.
Onglo said the petitions would be presented to the Government during the Parliament season yesterday.
National Capital District acting Met Supt Gideon Ikumu said earlier that employers imposing vaccination as a condition of employment did not breach the discriminatory practices under the Discriminatory Act (1963).
“Employment is a privilege and not a right. All citizen have their individual rights but these rights do not override the community’s right at large,” he said.
Meanwhile, People’s Power Movement president Noel Anjo said the Pandemic Act was unconstitutional and wanted the Government to remove the no-jab-no-job policy and abolish the office of the Pandemic Controller as the Covid-19 was not a law and order issue.