Independence celebrations to be scaled down: Marape

PRIME Minister James Marape says traditional public and big-scale celebrations associated with Independence Day will be cancelled this year because of the Covid-19.
The event on Sept 16 will have “scaled-down symbolic” activities around the country.
PNG became independent on Sept 16, 1975.
Marape said a circular would be issued by the National Covid-19 Control Centre detailing what activities could be held to celebrate the 45th anniversary.
“We can still celebrate but not the usual,” he said.
Marape said the usual funding for the celebrations to districts and provinces would be cancelled because the “economy is struggling”.
“We are prioritising other areas,” he said.
He urged provinces and districts to allocate some funds for the celebrations.
Meanwhile he thanked Border and Immigrations Minister Westley Nukundj for being proactive in the fight against the Covid-19 by putting in place border control measures as early as January.
Nukundj told The National that when the Covid-19 broke out in Wuhan, China, he put in the (border) measures without waiting for clearance from Cabinet.
“We started off with restricting all flights from Asian ports, to sea ports and even the crossing of the borders in Western and West Sepik provinces,” he said.
“The bans are still in place, and people can only travel if they get approval from the controller.”