Task Force imposes curfew on Daru Island

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
SOUTH Fly district Covid-19 Task Force has imposed a 10-hour curfew on Daru Island, Western, ordering shops and markets to close business by 4pm, acting district police commander Insp Soiwa Ricker says.
“Markets and shops will open at 6am and close by 4pm,” Insp Ricker said.
“However, only the fishermen can continue selling their fish after the curfew while vegetable and firewood sellers and shops will shut down.
“The betel nuts market has already shut down as of March 24.”
He said Daru Island was the frontline of PNG at a strategic location along the PNG-Indonesian and Australian borders and they needed to control people’s movement given the Covid-19 outbreak in Australia and Indonesia.
“Curfew is in force from 6am- 4pm from today and police, PNG Defence Force soldiers and PNG Correctional Service officers will now be patrolling the streets by 4pm,” Insp Ricker said.
He said the Task Force was lenient on fishermen because they usually came late to the market depending on the tide.
“They usually go out to the reef to fish at low tide in the morning and after fishing they wait for the high tide to come in so that they can come to the market to sell their catches,” Insp Ricker said.
“High tide usually comes in around 3pm.
“So we are lenient on them during the curfew because the market will be closed by the time they return from the reef.
“So we now allow them to walk around the streets selling their catches the residents.
“But other market vendors will not sell their items.
Also all the Shops will shut down by 4pm.”
Insp Ricker said the curfew was in line with the state of emergency declared on Covid-19 and the curfew would continue as long as the SOE was active.
“I’m happy for the residents as they are now cooperating after becoming aware of the dangers of Covid-19.”
Meanwhile, Jayapura-based PNG Consular-General Geoffrey Wiri said three people in Merauke City were cleared of Covid-19.