Sunday May 10  2020

COVID – 19 State of Emergency Controller David Manning says the Government has a plan in place and will announce this on the floor of Parliament when it resumes its sitting on the 2 June, to debate the COVID-19 SOE report.

 Mr Manning said this following a news report that there is no evidence to determine what is PNG’s next course of action after six weeks of the SOE.

“My statement was taken out of context and relates only to the boost of our efforts in the testing regime which started in Port Moresby and will first focus in areas where the positive cases were identified and also in our border provinces.

“We have a plan and the testing is to ascertain and determine in the medical and health front what we need to know and strategize after this SOE period which ends on the 2 June 2020,” Mr Manning said.

He said relevant government departments have announced their “new normal” approaches amidst this pandemic , however it is critical our Health department and the Institute of Medical Research working with the World Health Organisation fully understand COVID-19 and advise government to make informed decisions on the next steps forward.

Mr Manning reiterated the Coronavirus or COVID-19 threat is very much real and PNG must continue to take precautions as the world still knows very little and responsible institutions worldwide are working around the clock to understand COVID-19 and how to manage the spread and work on its vaccination.

“We must applaud Prime Minister James Marape and the Government for taking the appropriate and necessary actions so far.

“ These actions protected the country and we must remain vigilant. Now we need to see where we are in understanding the virus and how it has affected the country and from this understanding finalise our plan,” Mr Manning said.

Media contact: Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, BEM, DPS
Team Leader – COVID-19 Media & Public Information Joint Agency Task Force Mobile: 75430557Email: ddkakas@gmail.com