Wutung border reopens for business after travel ban

THE Wutung border post in Vanimo has been reopened says Minister for Immigration and Border Security, Westly Nukundj.
He told Parliament yesterday that they had lifted the travel ban at the country’s border post after putting in teams to check people coming in.
“We had also placed a ban on all incoming flights from Asian ports but lifted the ban after considering the fact that Papua New Guinea is a gateway and we have people coming in for business as well,” Nukundj said.
“But all international flights will have to come through Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby for screening and that includes chartered flights.
“All international sea vessels will also have to come through the ports in Rabaul, Lae and Port Moresby only for screening before they carry on,” he said.
Nukundj said they were working with relevant government departments to ensure that the country’s land, sea and air borders were monitored.
The Health Department in a posting on Facebook, recalled passengers who flew into the country on the Philippines Airlines flight PR 215 from Manila to Port Moresby on Jan 31 and flight PR 215 on Feb 4 to verify their health status.
Nukundj said that this could be “fake news” as all flights coming in were monitored.
“People must understand that passengers are been screened in various airports before they are boarding the plane, so people who are boarding the plane and coming into the country have already been screened.
“We have also advised airline companies to allow only passengers with medical certification to board the planes coming into Papua New Guinea,” he said.