CONTROLLER of the State of Emergency and Commissioner of Police,  David Manning ,today issued directives for the removal of road blocks in the Central Province.

He however  directed that Emergency Order 14 (seizure of aircraft, vehicle, vessels and perishable goods pursuant to the National Emergency) will continue. Mr Manning said whilst there is a need to restrict movement of people to stop the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19,  there must be minimum disruption to the lives of the people. The Controller said that the removal of the road blocks was also undertaken to allow villagers within the Central province to transport their garden produce to the residents of the National Capital District.

“The people of the NCD are heavily dependent on food coming in from the Central and other provinces. The lock-down and the road block adversely affected the people in both the NCD and the Central Province so some adjustments had to be made. “Police checks will continue where the normal health protocols such as physical distancing on public transport is observed and prohibited goods are not being transported between the provinces. As we go on I envisage the police checkpoints to become more like health checkpoints as well as information stations for the travelling public,” Mr Manning said.

He called upon policemen and women within the NCD and Central Command as well as other provinces around the country to be courteous to the travelling public. Meanwhile, the Controller said that April 27 remained tentatively the starting date for term two for all schools throughout PNG.

 

For media contact:Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, BEM, DPS

Team Leader – COVID-19 Media & Public Information

Mobile: 75430557 :Email: ddkakas@gmail.com