Border surveillance and monitoring in Western Province has further been strengthened with the support of the PNGDF COVID-19 Task Force.
From the PNGDF headquarters, the Rotary Wing detachment arrived in Kiunga yesterday in two helicopters.
“We’re inserting troops into Obo and Suki. It’s part of our normal support to our four settlements in the border province,” stated Major Douglas Vavar. “But it’s also part of the state of emergency operations. These are our efforts towards the whole-of-nation fight against COVID-19.
“The troops here will be moved to these two locations – Obo and Suki – and they’ll probably stay there for a month and then we’ll change over. But that’s dependent on the command on the ground. We’re just here to support and effect those changes.”
Meantime, Provincial Administrator and Provincial SoE Controller, Robert Alphonse Kaiyun, was grateful for the efforts of the PNGDF who had men deployed from locations in the North Fly District from Bankim all the way down to Bula in the South Fly District.
Kaiyun said the PNGDF had been working tirelessly with the Provincial Task Force to operationalise and strategise their efforts along the border.
He said the presence of these assets has boosted the Provincial Task Force Efforts in border surveillance.
He added that maintenance and extension work to existing health facilities were well underway in Kiunga, Balimo and Daru.