Marape, Manning allowed to speak

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ONLY Prime Minister James Marape and State of Emergency Controller David Manning are the authorised persons to release information to the public on Covid-19 matters.
Manning, also the Police Commissioner, said Marape could delegate Health and HIV-Aids Minister Jelta Wong to also speak on the response to the pandemic.
“It is critical that established protocols with regard to the release of information are observed so that the correct information is disseminated to the people,” Manning said.
It follows the unauthorised release on social media on Sunday of intelligence reports on the joint-agency task force team in Daru, Western.
Manning said the information contained a snapshot of an internal police intelligence report, which he described as disturbing.
“I received information that a situation report from an incident in the Western province border area was posted on social media and shared widely,” he said.
“Raw data which has not been verified or analysed cannot be published in such a manner.”
He warned public servants and all involved in the Covid-19 response not to release unsanctioned information regarding government operations.
“Officers are privy to information that is not available to the public for the purposes of Government’s response to manage the pandemic,” he said. “Spreading false, unconfirmed or unsanctioned information cannot help our efforts. The Government must ensure our people are well informed with accurate information cleared by authority.
“We want to avoid any misreporting and misinformation going out to the public to stop any cause of concern and anxiety which can lead to confusion and panic.
“I therefore direct that all information going out to the public from the Covid-19 National Operations Centre and the provincial centers must be vetted by the office of the controller or authorised officers in the provinces.
“Severe penalties shall be imposed on persons who disobey this directive.”


Lina Simon selling aibika and other garden food near a supermarket in Port Moresby yesterday. – Nationalpic by GYNNIE KERO

Housewife Lina struggles to provide for family

By GYNNIE KERO
HOUSEWIVES such as Lina Simon have to find ways to put food on the table for their families during the Covid-19 State of Emergency.
Her husband was laid off recently as a gardener at a hotel in Port Moresby. It means that Lina had to step up to feed their family.
Early yesterday morning, after she heard that markets would be reopened, she contacted her vegetable and farm produce suppliers, caught a taxi and went to get her supplies.
Her husband is also doing odd jobs around the place to supplement whatever she earns.
The hospitality industry, aviation, resources sector have been hit hard with workers forced to go home.
Companies cannot keep paying workers when they are not making money.
Lina, who has been living in a city suburb for almost 20 years knows how hard life can be in the capital city, especially when one does not have a steady job.
The house rent and bills for electricity and water keep piling up.
The Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the problem for her because she depends on farmers in Central to supply garden produce. She has to dig a little deeper into her pockets now.
Lina is aware of the preventive measures she has to comply with to keep her customers and family safe.
Recently, economist Paul Barker pointed out that the country does not have a social protection scheme to make home quarantine realistic.
He said: “The strategy of just staying home or working from home is unrealistic for much of the community, where household numbers are large and formal or informal livelihoods are from producing or trading food, cash crops or other goods.
“There’s no capacity to stay at home and be allocated temporary relief by the State, as there is no social protection scheme, unemployment or other welfare benefits, or even current details of household whereabouts or numbers.”
Mothers such as Lina just have to go out and find something to keep their families going.


Vagrants told to return home

By REBECCA KUKU
PEOPLE “doing nothing” in Port Moresby will be sent back to their home districts as part of a Government repatriation programme, says Prime Minister James Marape.
He said yesterday the programme would be implemented during the two-month state of emergency extension.
“It will be a costly exercise but for those who are doing nothing in Port Moresby, we will send you back to your home where you can make gardens and survive during these times,” he said.
The two-month extension began yesterday. Meanwhile, a team of police officers, soldiers, rapid response team personnel and two navy ships will be sent to the border provinces to provide security and surveillance, David Manning said.
Manning, the State of Emergency Controller and Police Commissioner, said 68 soldiers and 24 police officers would be based in West Sepik and Western.
“We are also deploying a 32-man rapid response team to monitor the borders. Two naval ships will monitor our sea borders,” he said.
“All other provinces will also come online once we secure our borders. But the 21 road blocks around the country will remain over the two-month state of emergency.”
Manning said these measures were being put in place to protect everyone.
“We are working with provincial governments, administrations, provincial health authorities and provincial police commanders to ensure our people are safe.
“We will also be reviewing the orders. We may have to revoke some or reissue some or just let it be.”
Manning gave his assurance that the confirmed Covid-19 case in East New Britain would be contained.
“We will start contact tracing while the area is locked down to ensure that there are no transmissions,” he said.


A map showing the isolation treatment and border quarantine facilities.

Spreading false information may lead to arrest: Controller

YOU have been warned: Do not spread false information on the coronavirus (Covid-19).
State of Emergency Controller and Police Commissioner David Manning sounded the warning yesterday following allegations on social media that Health and HIV/Aids Minister Jelta Wong had given a K50 million contract to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd to supply Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
“I have directed our Cyber Crime team to investigate and pinpoint the origins of these malicious rumours at such a sensitive time,” he said.
“Those responsible for spreading the false and malicious lies will be severely dealt with. I ask the public to abstain from making allegations at such a time as this. Let us help you stay free of Covid-19.”
Those disseminating false information during the state of emergency will be arrested and charged accordingly.
“This is totally false. No such contract was ever given. As the controller of the SOE, I am the legal authority under the emergency orders for the procurement and direction of state of emergency personnel and supplies.
“I deny that any such contract was issued to Borneo by the Minister for Health. These are very damaging and unfounded allegations made on social media which are aimed at discrediting government efforts and derail the positive advances we have made in the campaign against Covid-19.”


Airlines refuse to pick passengers from border

By SAMUEL BARIASI
AIR Niugini, PNG Air and Tropic Air will not be picking up passengers from Western, West Sepik, and East Sepik as part of preventative measures against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Executives of the three airline companies were at a media conference yesterday with Immigration and Border Security Minister and National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop.
Air Niugini acting chief executive officer Bruce Alabaster said the provinces “are at a high risk due to the border”.
“Air Niugini, until approved (and directed by the emergency controller) will not be allowing any passengers travelling from Daru, Wewak, Vanimo, and Kiunga,” he said.
He also explained that Air Niugini was still flying to Singapore, Brisbane and Cairns although without any passengers.
“Those flights are only for medical equipment and supplies,” he said.
“We are not making a profit out of this. We are actually losing large amounts of money but we are doing this as part of our duty to PNG.”

Public buses are expected to resume operations in Port Moresby today. NCD Governor Powes Parkop has warned bus operators who flout health and safety rules that they will be arrested. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI

He said the airline had changed its international flight schedules.
“Those flights do not overnight anywhere. The crew do not go out. They stay in the aircraft, and come straight to Port Moresby,” he said.
PNG Air chief operating officer Glenn Dunstan said they had similar flight schedules and protocols.
“We go to Australia but we do not bring any passengers back. We bring critical freight only,” Dunstan said.
“We also do not have a (flight) schedule to Daru, Vanimo, and Kiunga. We will always adhere to the (emergency) controller’s processes, procedures and protocols throughout the state of emergency.”
Tropicair chief executive officer Craig Chapple said they were transporting only medical supplies for the Health Department.
“We do medevac around the country and overseas but we’re getting approvals before we would uplift anyone,” Chapple said.


11 comments

  • So no case of covid 19 from border Provinces of Vanimo and Western. Assumption is that it will come through the border and it will not happen. So the border should be open and the soldier check People coming and going. Soldiers are guarding empty fence which is boring.

  • Although there are no confirmed cases in png, this does not mean we should allow those outside of country to come in. Remain where you are until everything goes back to normal.

  • Fellow citizens, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! PLEASE STAY HOME TO SAVE LIVES!!

  • Funny, can authorities advice how the ENB lady contracted COVID-19?? This so that we can be aware of any similarities regarding POI in our Provinces.

  • I applaud the Government’s continuing solid response to the global pandemic of the coronavirus.

    But in hindsight there are a lot of areas that can be further improved on the COVID-19 SOE Orders and it’s implementations. One such matter is the deployment of soldiers.

    A mere platoon was on call out and deployed, to police a 760 kms border.

    WHAT A JOKE…!

    The current strength of the Army stands at almost 5000 men. Why on earth can’t we send a battalion instead.

    Illigal activities and border crossing is a daily routined violations. The 30 or so soldiers sent there would be a laughing stock to all who take pride in violating sovereign national borders.

    The Government needs to fix this matter with a substantial increase in man, equipment, hardware, aircrafts and major finance.

    We cannot keep relying on Australia forever to go and guard our borders. They have their own problems to attend to during this global health crises.

  • Stop being crazy the virus is already in the country ,we need to start understanding and finding ways to cure our people ,for goodness sake we are a tropical country please refer back to our local herbal medication which has being used by our people even before hospitals and foreign medication become available in PNG. Government please allow funding for research on our indigenous herbal products to see if it works ,who knows we might be the last frontier to save the world from pandemic such as this….I am just privilege to be living today ,because my primitive fore father manage to survived this wild land of PNG before civilization, he survived against tribal enemies,sickness ,natural disasters, he traveled by foot most of the way. I am just wondering how did he do it to be here . Just a tip for people out there any form of illness is just inflammation,cure inflammation and increase your immune systems thats how primitive people did it..

  • When we meant lockdown means lockdown.. I just can’t find any good reason why people are moving at this time into towns to find foods when the state of emergency talks are on it’s way to find possibilities to make a completely stop of covid 19 virus from spreading.

    Staying at villages at this time is very safe from spread of the coronavirus. Lets make food as not important at this time. Your life and other people’s life are important.

    When you are bringing the coronavirus into the family you know, the whole family is finish..

    Thanks

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